ot  tut  llwotogir;,/ 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


= 1— ^ - yf  -V  - - ' 

BV  2570  . L687  1881 
Lowrie , John  C.  1808-1900 
Missionary  papers 


. A 


V 


v 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


BY 


JOHN  C 


'LOWRIE. 


NEW  YORK. 

ROBERT  CARTER  & BROTHERS, 
530  Broadway. 

1881. 


Copyright,  1881,  by 
JOHN  C.  LOWRIE. 


Edward  O.  Jenkins’  Print,  20  North  William  Street,  New  York 


THEOLOGICAL 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  Papers  in  this  volume  have  been,  in  most  instances, 
selected  from  a large  number  in  Missionary  Periodicals 
under  the  author’s  editorial  charge ; but  some  of  them 
have  been  taken  from  Reviews,  and  others  have  not  been 
printed  heretofore.  A sermon  with  a slight  abridgment 
is  included  in  the  series,  which  was  preached  in  special 
service,  with  mainly  a missionary  purpose.  These  articles 
are  meant  to  be  catholic  in  spirit,  while  they  are  written 
from  a Presbyterian  point  of  view  when  questions  of 
Church  order  are  concerned  ; and  it  is  hoped  that  they 
may  be  of  use  to  the  cause  of  Christian  Missions.  As  in 
the  case  of  former  books  of  the  writer,  his  pecuniary 
income,  if  any,  from  this  work  will  go  to  the  same  cause. 

Other  papers  on  missionary  subjects,  in  print  or  as  yet 
unwritten,  were  included  in  the  idea  of  this  book.  These 
relate  to  practical  matters  in  the  field,  to  the  return  of 
missionaries,  the  case  of  ex-missionaries,  the  occupation 
and  support  of  aged  missionaries,  salaries  at  home  and 
abroad,  boards  or  committees,  secretaries,  missionary 
publications  in  this  country,  the  support  of  special  objects 
b)4j:he  churches,  the  proper  place  of  English  in  connection 
with  the  vernacular  languages  in  the  missions,  the  relative 
claims  of  different  nations  on  a Missionary  Board,  etc.  ; 
but  the  limits  assigned  to  this  volume  do  not  admit  of 
their  being  considered  in  its  pages. 

Mission  House,  23  Centre  Street, 

New  York,  May,  1881. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


https://archive.org/details/missionarypapers00lowr_0 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

I.  Thoughts  on  Missions 7 

II.  The  Highest  Motive 10 

III.  The  Lord’s  Supper — The  Gospel  for  all 

Nations 11 

IV.  Missionary  Policy  and  Zeal 13 

V.  Small  Beginnings — Large  Growth 18 

VI.  “Not  with  Observation.” 22 

VII.  The  Call  of  a Missionary 25 

VIII.  The  Impress  of  Heathenism — Yet  the 

Heathen  not  Hopeless ^ 2S 

IX.  The  Worth  of  a Soul  in  America  and 

China  32 

X.  Prayer  and  Corresponding  Means 33 

XI.  A Heathen  Temple  in  China 35 

XII.  Is  Missionary  Life  Favorable  to  Piety  ?. . . 38 

XIII.  The  Great  Want  of  a Missionary 44 

XIV.  The  Gifts  of  the  Rich 46 

XV.  Large  Gifts..  49 

XVI.  The  Gifts  of  the  Poor 50 

XVII.  Disinterestedness '. 51 

XVIII.  The  Privilege  of  Large  and  Varied  Work 

for  Christ 53 

XIX.  The  Holy  Ghost  the  Power  of  Chris- 
tian Witnesses  55 


4 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

XX.  Fundamental  Principles  not  to  be  Over- 

looked  82 

XXI.  Romans  xv.  20 84 

XXII.  Proverbs  xi.  24 87 

XXIII.  The  Denominational  Element  in  Mis- 
sions  89 

XXIV.  Reasons  of  “Church”  Work  in  Mis- 
sions  95 

XXV.  “Monthly  Concert ’’Meeting  of  Prayer.  99 

XXVI.  Grace,  not  Race,  in  Christian  Missions.  102 

XXVII.  Less  Favored  Races 104 

XXVIII.  The  Pecuniary  Support  of  Missions...  106 

XXIX.  “Our  Country  for  the  World” 109 

XXX.  The  World  for  Our  Country in 

XXXI.  Thirty  Meeting-Houses 116 

XXXII.  On  “Slowing”  the  Work  of  Foreign 

Missions 118 

XXXIII.  “Mere  Preachers  and  Teachers ” 124 

XXXIV.  Learning  the  Native  Language  Indis- 
pensable to  Missionaries 127 

XXXV.  Where  to  Learn  a Language 130 

XXXVI.  Translating  the  Scriptures 134 

XXXVII.  Missionaries  Translating  the  Scrip- 
tures  137 

XXXVI II.  On  Transferring  “ Baptizo  ” 139 

XXXIX.  A.D.  1832-1872 141 

XL.  The  Mohammedans 146 

XLI.  Organized  Opposing  Forces 148 

XLII.  Church  Work  for  Roman  Catholics 150 

XLIII.  A Romanist  Missionary  Society 153 

XLIV.  Life  of  Francis  Xavier 157 


CONTENTS.  5 

PAGE 

XLV.  The  Hindus  and  the  British.. 162 

XLVI.  The  First  Donation  in  India  to  the 

Lodiana  Mission 168 

XLVII.  A Parsee  Cemetery 171 

XLVIII.  Africa  Inland — Protectorate  of  the 

Congo 173 

XLIX.  Missions  to  the  Chinese  in  this  Country.  176 
L.  Sabbath-school  Work  for  the  Chinese.  181 

LI.  Our  Indian  Affairs 182 

LII.  Indian  Boarding-schools 198 

LIII.  Work  of  an  Indian  Teacher 201 

LIV.  Boarding-schools  and  Orphanages 203 

LV.  Native  Ministers 206 

LVI.  Native  Candidates  for  the  Ministry..  209 

LVII.  Administrative  Work  of  Missions 213 

LVIII.  Estimates— Local  Funds 231 

LIX.  Supervision  of  Foreign  Missions 233 

LX.  Missionary  Superintendents 252 

LXI.  Training  and  Distribution  of  Mission- 
aries  256 

LXII.  Missionary  Professorships 278 

LXIII.  -Children  of  Missionaries 280 

LXIV.  Princeton  Seminary  and  Missions 310 

LXV.  Alleghany  Seminary  and  Missions 328 

LXVI.  Missionary  Presbyteries .- 345 

LXVIL  Missionary  Presbyteries  and  the  Home 

Church 359 

LXVIII.  “Foreign  Missions”:  their  Relations. 

and  Claims 366 

LXIX.  What  Presbyteries  can  do 371 

LXX.  Endorsement  of  Objects 373 


6 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

LXXI.  Can  a Missionary  Board  keep  out  of 

Debt  ? 376 

LXXII.  The  Discipline  of  a Narrow  Income...  378 
LXXIII.  The  Time  required  for  the  Conversion 

of  the  World 380 

LXXIV.  Offices  of  the  Board 380 

LXXV.  Length  of  Missionary  Life 384 

LXXVL  Missionary  Deputations 387 

LXXVII.  Recall  of  a Missionary 391 

LXXVIII.  “ Mission  ” or  Presbytery 394 

LXXIX.  Henry  Martyn 399 

LXXX.  C.  A.  Jacobi 402 

LXXXI.  J.  P.  Revel 408 

LXXXII.  Service  for  Life 409 

LXXXIII.  Gifts  and  Departure  of  Friends 41 1 

LXXXIV.  William  W.  Phillips,  James  Lenox,  and 

Walter  Lowrie 412 

LXXXV.  William  Adams 417 


Index 421 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


I. 

THOUGHTS  ON  MISSIONS. 

I.  God,  the  adorable  Trinity:  in  Eternity. 

II.  Creation,  “ in  the  beginning”  of  Time. 

III.  The  world,  in  sin  and  death. 

IV.  Christ  predicted  ; Christ  born  ; Christ  teach- 
ing; Christ  dying;  Christ  rising  and  returning  to 
heaven. 

V.  The  Holy  Ghost  manifested. 

VI.  The  Gospel  preached. 

VII.  Some  believe,  are  saved,  are  gathered  into 
churches,  are  employed  to  save  others. 

VIII.  They  do  this  commonly  in  united  efforts,  so 
far  as  those  living  in  distant  countries  are  concerned. 

IX.  The  number  of  Christians  increases  ; they  be- 
come classified  in  denominations ; each  leading  de- 
nomination supports  some  of  its  own  members  as 
missionaries.  All  the  members  pray  for  their  success; 
all  make  gifts  according  to  their  ability ; all  wish  to 

(7) 


8 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


be  well  informed  concerning  the  work  of  missions,  and 
read  with  interest  missionary  information ; all  act 
under  a common  consecration  to  God  and  to  His 
cause  in  the  world.  Their  children  are  trained  for 
the  same  high  ends. 

X.  The  missionaries  go  to  their  fields  of  labor  from 
love  to  Christ  and  compassion  for  lost  souls,  not  to 
enjoy  comfort  or  honor;  they  learn  the  language  of 
the  people,  live  among  them  and  as  near  to  them  as 
possible,  and  devote  themselves  in  every  good  way  to 
the  object  of  making  Christ  known  as  the  only  Sav- 
iour of  sinners.  They  preach,  teach,  talk,  use  the 
press,  pray,  watch,  and  long  by  all  lawful  means  to 
save  souls. 

XI.  God  gives  them  success.  Converts  are  bap- 
tized, churches  are  formed,  presbyteries  are  consti- 
tuted; native  candidates  for  the  ministry  are  prayed 
for,  sought,  found,  brought  forward,  trained,  licensed 
to  preach,  ordained  as  pastors  or  ministers  at  large. 

XII.  The  work  of  missions  passes  into  the  hands 
of  native  laborers  in  each  country ; fewer  foreign  mis- 
sionaries are  needed  ; the  Gospel  spreads  like  leaven, 
grows  like  the  grain  of  mustard  seed ; heathenism  and 
all  false  religions  wane  and  disappear ; their  soul- 
destroying  author  is  bound  in  chains ; the  church  of 
Christ  embraces  Jews  and  Gentiles,  eve-n  all  nations. 

XIII.  The  foreign  missionary  work  is  ended  ; right- 
eousness, peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  every- 
where reign  ; the  Millennium  is  come;  for  a thousand 
years — years  of  prophetic  time,  a day  for  a year,  that 
is,  for  360,000  of  our  years — the  earth  is  filled  with 


THOUGHTS  ON  MISSIONS. 


9 


beautiful  churches,  Christian  homes,  happy  inhabit- 
ants, countless  in  number.  The  six  thousand  early 
years  of  sin,  ignorance,  war,  and  death  are  not  forgot- 
ten, but  their  desolation  is  seen  to  have  fallen  on 
comparatively  but  few  of  the  children  of  men.  The 
vastly  greater  number  are  saved.  Glory  to  God  in 
the  highest ; peace  on  earth  ; good  will  to  men  ; Beth- 
lehem, Gethsemane,  Calvary,  the  mount  of  Olives — 
such  are  themes  inspiring  through  this  long  tract  of 
time  universal  praise  to  God  and  thanks  for  the  Gos- 
pel. The  transition  from  earth  to  heaven,  no  longer 
dreaded  as  death,  is  welcomed  as  the  translation  of 
Enoch  or  Elijah,  or  in  some  humble  degree  as  the 
ascension  of  the  risen  Redeemer. 

XIV.  A deeply  troubled  time  follows,  for  reasons 
to  us  incomprehensible;  Satan  is  unbound,  and  is 
permitted  to  have  great  power  on  the  earth. 

XV.  But  his  time  is  short ; the  conflict  is  over ; 
the  great  adversary  is  forever  in  prison. 

XVI.  Christ  appears  personally,  in  glory,  accom- 
panied by  hosts  of  angels  and  of  the  redeemed.  The 
judgment  of  all  both  small  and  great  is  declared. 
Hell  remains  for  the  wicked.  Heaven  remains  for 
the  righteous.  Christ  is  forever  glorified.  His  peo- 
ple are  forever  blessed.  God  is  all  in  all.  Eternity 
is  full  of  praise.  Amen. 


10 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


II. 

THE  HIGHEST  MOTIVE. 

In  our  missionary  work  we  can  see  that  general 
knowledge,  commercial  interests,  humanitarian  ad- 
vantages, and  even  national  honor  may  all  receive 
benefit  from  our  labors.  It  would  not  be  wrong  for 
a religious  man  to  keep  in  view  these  things  as  mo- 
tives of  action.  Nor  would  it  be  wrong  to  feel  a 
special  interest  in  the  conversion  of  our  countrymen, 
or  the  Indians,  or  the  Mexicans  and  the  South  Amer- 
icans, because  they  are  so  near  us;  or  of  the  Japan- 
ese, because  they  are  so  polite  a people  in  their 
manners,  and  so  progressive;  or  of  the  Chinese,  be- 
cause they  nre  so  stable  in  character  and  show  such 
reverence  for  their  parents  and  for  the  aged. 

But  when  we  consider  the  motives  chiefly,  almost 
solely,  presented  in  the  Gospel,  we  see  at  once  that 
they  are  spiritual.  Our  blessed  Lord  was  of  Hebrew 
race  and  usage  as  to  his  human  nature.  The  Apostle 
Paul  was  a Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews.  As  we  study 
their  lives  and  labors,  we  see  little  that  is  purely  na- 
tional among  the  motives  of  their  action,  nothing 
that  is  commercial,  hardly  anything  that  is  humani- 
tarian— so-called,  and  of  course  nothing  that  savors 
of  pride  and  caste.  Even  when  the  Apostle  spoke 
those  words  of  dread  meaning  in  the  ninth  of  Ro- 
mans, it  was  because  of  the  spiritual  necessities  of  the 
Hebrews,  and  not  because  they  were  the  most  influ- 
ential or  the  most  eminent  race  in  the  world.  Nor 


THE  HIGHEST  MOTIVE. 


ii 


do  we  ever  find  motives  presented  which  are  drawn 
from  the  greatness  of  the  Roman  people,  or  the  learn- 
ing and  philosophy  of  the  Greeks  ; nor  from  the  prob- 
able future  destiny  of  any  of  the  nations,  unless  it 
were  that  as  made  up  of  individuals  they  were  all  of 
them,  at  that  very  day,  in  danger  of  eternal  death, 
and  they  had  then  and  there  the  offer  of  mercy 
through  Christ  Jesus.  But  we  do  see  the  love  of 
Christ  constraining  his  disciples  to  obey  his  com- 
mandments, to  imitate  his  example,  to  seek  his  glory 
in  the  salvation  of  men  in  every  land,  of  every  con- 
dition, even  the  worst  in  character,  the  most  hopeless 
in  circumstances.  It  is  for  thee,  my  Saviour! 


III. 

THE  LORD’S  SUPPER  — THE  GOSPEL  FOR  ALL 
NATIONS. 

BEFORE  his  death  our  Lord  enjoined  on  his  dis- 
ciples the  observance  of  the  Sacrament  of  the  Sup- 
per ; then,  it  was  his  last  requirement  and  request. 
Before  his  ascension  he  enjoined  on  them  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  literally 
his  last  commandment  and  promise.  We  should  con- 
nect these  sacred  duties  together  in  our  thoughts  of 
our  Saviour’s  last  days  on  earth.  Both  refer  to  him- 
self, his  object  in  coming  into  the  world,  his  con- 
tinued presence  with  his  people,  his  gracious  work 


12 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


for  them  and  in  them,  his  work  assigned  to  them. 
Both  point  to  his  grace  for  the  fulfilment  of  our  duty 
to  him  and  to  our  fellow-men.  Both  lead  us  to  look 
for  communion  with  him,  now  and  forever,  and  each 
takes  the  form  of  a commandment. 

Nearly  all  Christian  people,  such  as  hope  that  they 
are  the  true  disciples  of  Christ,  recognize  and  try  to 
fulfil  the  duty  of  commemorating  his  death.  Few 
of  them  now,  as  we  trust,  refuse  to  recognize  the  duty 
of  preaching  the  Gospel ; though  too  many,  as  we 
fear,  still  overlook  the  extent  of  this  duty,  as  includ- 
ing every  creature,  in  all  the  world. 

We  aim  here  at  no  “ exposition  ” of  these  things, 
but  desire  to  recall  them  to  the  attention  of  our  read- 
ers, and  to  add  a few  brief  remarks. 

1.  As  it  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  both  the  com- 
mandments that  we  see  first,  so  in  keeping  them  we 
must  chiefly  seek  to  please  him.  Our  highest  mo- 
tives are  found  in  love  and  obedience  to  him. 

2.  No  more  may  we  neglect  one  than  the  other  of 
these  commandments ; no  more  leave  the  duty  of 
missions  unfulfilled  than  that  of  commemorating  our 
Saviour’s  suffering  and  death. 

3.  Ministers  of  churches  are  the  appointed  servants 
of  Christ  in  leading  his  people  to  intelligent  and 
faithful  obedience  to  these  commandments. 

4.  The  service  in  both  cases  is  spiritual,  and  should 
be  marked  with  scriptural  simplicity,  and  with  the 
steady,  systematic  fulfilment  of  duty,  even  unto  the 
end  of  life.  How  is  the  Sacrament  overlaid  and  neu- 
tralized in  the  Roman  Catholic  way  of  its  administra- 


MISSIONARY  POLICY  AND  ZEAL. 


i3 


tion  ! May  there  not  also  be  too  much  of  the  sensa- 
tional, popularizing,  transient,  and  superficial,  in  meth- 
ods sometimes  adopted  in  our  churches  for  the  cause  of 
missions,  as  well  as  in  plans  pursued  in  the  work  it- 
self? We  need  wisdom  from  on  high. 

5.  The  reward  of  faithful  communion  service,  and 
of  faithful  efforts  to  make  the  Gospel  known  to  all 
men,  is  a sure  and  blessed  one — even  the  approval  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour. 


IV. 

MISSIONARY  POLICY  AND  ZEAL. 

The  cause  of  missions,  like  all  great  enterprises, 
rests  on  a few  simple  and  broad  truths — the  com- 
mand of  God,  the  spirit  of  true  religion,  the  perishing 
condition  of  the  heathen,  and  other  considerations  of 
similar  weight  and  force.  These  are  plainly  pre- 
sented in  Sacred  Scripture. 

The  missionary  work,  however,  both  in  its  support 
by  the  Church,  and  in  its  progress  among  the  heathen, 
presents  many  practical  questions  which  are  not  an- 
swered by  direct  revelation.  No  chapter  and  verse 
can  be  cited  to  prove  that  Canton  and  Yedo  should 
be  missionary  stations,  rather  than  Ayuthia  and  To- 
cat ; neither  can  it  be  thus  decided  that  the  mission- 
ary at  any  given  place  shall  present  the  Gospel  mes- 
sage in  a certain  form  ; as,  for  example,  by  public  dis- 


M 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


courses  rather  than  at  times  by  a private  conversa- 
tion. We  can  not  quote  chapter  and  verse  to  decide 
who  shall  go  as  missionaries,  nor  how  their  pecuniary 
support  shall  be  provided  and  remitted.  These  things, 
and  many  others,  are  not  expressly  revealed  in  Sa- 
cred Scripture.  The  Bible  is  proved  to  be  a divine 
book,  amongst  other  arguments,  by  its  containing 
principles  rather  than  specific  rules  — principles  of 
easy  and  universal  application.  Its  positive  duties 
are  of  like  character.  The  Koran  enjoins  ablutions 
on  the  followers  of  the  false  prophet  as  a part  of  their 
religion,  ablutions  which  the  Arab  of  the  desert  or 
the  Laplander  in  the  midst  of  perpetual  ice,  is  phys-  • 
ically  unable  to  perform.  The  Jew  would  require 
every  worshipper,  even  every  convert  from  the  Gen- 
tiles, to  repair  once  a year  to  the  holy  city ; the 
Christian  would  do  good  unto  all  men  as  he  has  op- 
portunity, and  neither  in  the  mountain  of  Samaria, 
nor  yet  in  Jerusalem,  would  he  require  men  to  wor- 
ship God,  provided  they  worship  Him  in  spirit  and  in 
truth. 

We  do  not  think  these  practical  questions  unim- 
portant. Nothing  is  unimportant  that  relates  to  the 
salvation  of  men.  And  no  methods  of  proceeding  in 
the  missionary  work  should  be  adopted,  which  do  not 
secure,  as  far  as  the  wisdom  of  man  can  secure,  the 
purity  of  the  Gospel  message,  and  the  scriptural  char- 
acter of  the  means  employed,  as  this  message  and 
these  means  are  practically  exhibited  among  the  hea- 
then. Hence  we  are  decidedly  in  favor  of  commit- 
ting the  conduct  of  this  work  to  our  ecclesiastical 


MISSIONARY  POLICY  AND  ZEAL.  15 

assemblies,  in  whose  supervision  we  have  so  much 
confidence  as  to  entrust  them  with  our  own  interests  ; 
and  hence  also  we  are  in  favor  of  having  the  work  of 
missions  conducted  separately  by  each  body  of  Chris- 
tians. In  a word,  we  would  give  to  the  heathen  the 
same  Gospel  which  we  hold  ourselves ; and  we  would 
give  them  the  Gospel,  if  we  are  able,  with  our  own 
hands,  in  order  to  avoid  any  possible  embarrassment 
from  conflicting  views  of  church-order  or  divine  truth. 
We  believe  that  we  shall  best  secure  the  purity  of  the 
Gospel  message  and  the  scriptural  character  of  the 
means  employed,  by  adhering  to  this  policy;  at  the 
same  time  we  cordially  rejoice  in  the  missionary  zeal 
of  other  bodies  of  Christians,  and  we  bid  them  God- 
speed, in  so  far  as  they  preach  Christ  and  him  cru- 
cified. 

This,  then,  is  our  position.  We  hold  that  the  duty 
of  missions  is  divinely  and  most  clearly  revealed,  and 
that  the  practical  measures,  by  which  this  duty  is  per- 
formed may  be,  and  in  ordinary  times  ought  to  be, 
determined  by  the  judicatories  of  the  Church.  These 
judicatories  will  always  embrace  many  of  the  most 
able  and  experienced  men  in  our  communion,  and 
their  measures  will  always  be  governed  in  the  long 
run  by  the  public  sentiment  of  the  Church — a public 
sentiment  which  every  church  member  contributes  to 
form  and  has  the  power  to  influence.  We  thus  com- 
bine conservative  and  popular  principles ; the  volun- 
tary power  of  numbers  with  the  safer  action  of  the 
few,  who  are  yet  responsible,  while  they  are  clothed 
with  a wholesome  authority.  Measures,  therefore, 


i6 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


which,  not  being  expressly  revealed,  are  left  to  the 
wisdom  and  judgment  of  the  Church,  may  be  safely 
committed  to  the  supervision  of  our  church  courts. 
This  is  true  of  missions,  as  of  other  things.  And  the 
missionary  policy  which  secures  their  approval,  after 
due  consideration  and  trial,  will  commend  itself  to  the 
approbation  and  the  support  of  the  members  at  large. 
We  are  not  disposed,  therefore,  to  make  very  much 
of  the  objections,  which  are  sometimes  urged  against 
particular  points  of  the  method  in  which  our  Church 
is  conducting  the  work  of  Foreign  Missions.  If  there 
are  real  difficulties  or  errors  connected  with  our  mis- 
sionary policy,  they  will  be  gradually  developed  ; and 
in  such  a work  it  is  the  duty,  and  would  doubtless  be 
the  pleasure  of  all  parties  to  have  them  speedily  cor- 
rected. Some  men  object  to  everything  which  is 
not  their  own ; they  are  simply  unreasonable  and 
“ impracticable,”  and  must,  if  possible,  be  let  alone. 
Others  object  from  want  of  information  ; they  must 
be  enlightened.  Others  object  in  order  to  excuse 
themselves  from  performing  duties  which  they  do  not 
like  to  perform  ; they  are  a discouraging  class. 

On  what  does  the  work  of  Foreign  Missions  hinge 
in  our  Church?  We  answer,  not  mainly  on  questions 
of  missionary  policy  ; we  are,  for  the  most  part,  agreed 
about  them.  But  the  turning  point  of  the  whole  en- 
terprise is  this,  that  the  hearts  of  the  people  become 
interested  in  the  work.  And  how  shall  this  result  be 
obtained  ? By  dwelling  chiefly,  we  do  not  say  exclu- 
sively, but  chiefly,  on  the  great  truths  on  which  the 
whole  work  is  founded.  Each  follower  of  Christ  must 


MISSIONARY  POLICY  AND  ZEAL. 


17 


feel — “ I am  commanded  by  my  Lord,  by  my  Re- 
deemer, to  give  his  Gospel  to  my  fellow-men ; I am 
commanded  to  do  this.  And  if  I have  the  spirit  of 
the  Gospel,  I will  do  unto  others  as  I would  have 
them  do  unto  me — have  I then  the  spirit  of  Christ  in 
this  matter?  Those  poor  heathens  are  dying;  can  I 
help  to  save  them?  I shall  meet  them  at  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  Christ;  will  my  conscience,  will  my 
Judge,  then  be  satisfied  with  what  I am  now  doing 
for  their  salvation  ? Their  eternity  will  be  as  long  as 
mine ; their  souls  are  worth  as  much  as  mine ; their 
time  here  is  as  short  as  mine  ; their  song  of  praise  to 
redeeming  grace  would  sound  as  sweetly  as  mine ; 
what,  then,  am  I doing  to  put  them  in  possession  of 
the  blessed  hopes  which  I enjoy  myself?  All  that  I 
have  has  been  received  from  God  through  the  blood 
of  Christ.  I am  not  my  own.  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do?”  These,  and  such  like,  are  the 
thoughts  and  feelings  which  should  fill  the  hearts  of 
all  Christians.  Now  what  are  the  considerations  which 
will  call  these  feelings  into  life,  and  invigorate  them  ? 
There  is  but  one  answer,  and  that  is  found  in  the 
plain  truths  of  God’s  word,  and  the  outpouring  of 
the  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


18 


Y. 

SMALL  BEGINNINGS— LARGE  GROWTH. 

Matthew  xiii.  31. — Another  parable  put  he  forth  unto  them, 
saying,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  to  a grain  of  mustard  seed, 
which  a man  took  and  sowed  in  his  field  : 32. — Which  indeed  is 

the  least  of  all  seeds  : but  when  it  is  grown,  it  is  the  greatest  among 
herbs,  and  becometh  a tree,  so  that  the  birds  of  the  air  come  and 
lodge  in  the  branches  thereof. 

• 33. — Another  parable  spake  he  unto  them  ; The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  like  unto  leaven,  which  a woman  took,  and  hid  in  three 
measures  of  meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened. 

The  object  of  both  these  parables  is  the  same — to 
describe  the  diffusive  and  expansive  nature  of  relig- 
ion ; and  they  are  characteristic  both  of  the  progress 
of  divine  grace  in  the  soul  of  man,  and  of  the  spread 
of  the  Gospel  in  the  world  at  large. 

The  idea  is  that  from  small  beginnings,  religion  be- 
comes a powerful  and  controlling  principle. 

See  the  grain  of  mustard  seed.  It  is  a little  thing. 
Put  it  in  the  ground,  and  it  seems  to  be  lost.  Yet  it 
has  a principle  of  life  in  it.  In  due  time  it  shoots 
forth,  grows  up,  and  becomes  a tree — not  a mere 
plant,  as  in  our  cold  climate,  but  a tree  in  some  re- 
gions so  large  that  the  birds  lodge  in  its  branches. 

See  the  small  portion  of  leaven— placed  in  a large 
quantity  of  meal — diffusing  itself  silently,  but  giving 
its  own  peculiar  flavor  to  the  whole  mass. 

Thus  when  the  grace  of  God  is  communicated  to 
the  soul  of  man,  it  may  appear  a small  thing  at  first. 
Perhaps  the  chief  signs  of  its  existence  shall  be  the 


SMALL  BEGINNINGS— LARGE  GROWTH.  19 


faint  desire  after  instruction,  after  something  not  yet 
learned ; or  the  feeble  conviction  of  sins  that  need 
pardon  ; or  the  half-formed  purpose  of  forsaking  evil 
conduct  and  evil  company. 

Afterward,  these  desires,  convictions,  and  half- 
formed  resolutiofts,  appear  to  be  extinguished. 

But  presently  they  revive,  and  gather  new  strength. 
More  grace  is  given — stronger  desires  are  felt,  even 
earnest  wishes  to  enjoy  the  peace  and  blessedness  of 
the  Gospel. 

And  at  length  the  whole  character  is  changed,  and 
has  a savor  of  spiritual  things.  Many  readers  of  this, 
paper  can  bear  witness  to  this  gradually  transforming 
power  of  religion  in  their  hearts  ; and  while  their  own 
remembrance  of  the  day  of  small  things  should  rebuke 
any  risings  of  impatience  with  their  weaker  or  youn- 
ger brethren,  it  should  also  encourage  them  to  ex- 
pect for  themselves  and  others  the  complete  fulfil- 
ment of  these  beautiful  parables. 

But  these  parables  may  be  considered  chiefly  with 
reference  to  the  spread  of  religion  in  the  world.  The 
kingdom  of  God  means  not  only  the  grace  of  God, 
but  also  the  dispensation  of  the  Gospel. 

Now  we  are  taught  by  these  parables  to  expect  the 
general  spread  of  the  Gospel  from  small  beginnings. 
It  has  always  been  so.  The  appearance  of  our  blessed 
Lord  himself,  that  of  a poor  man,  unattended  with 
external  power  and  state ; and  that  of  his  disciples, 
humble  fishermen,  must  have  been  exceedingly  insig- 
nificant in  the  eyes  of  the  learned  and  honored  and 
proud  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  And  yet  who  knows 


20 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


now  the  names  of  those  great  men  among  the  Jews, 
or  cares  to  know  them  ? While  the  names  of  Christ, 
and  Peter,  and  John,  and  the  other  Apostles,  are  fa- 
miliar words  in  every  language  throughout  the  world. 
And  what  could  have  been  more  perfectly  simple 
than  the  teaching  of  Jesus?  See  him  sitting  on  the 
mountain-side,  opening  his  lips,  and  saying  to  the 
crowds  at  his  feet,  “ Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for 
theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.”  These  words  are 
words  of  life  even  now,  springing  up  in  the  hearts  of 
thousands  in  many  lands,  full  of  instruction,  full  of 
consolation. 

Nor  can  we  point  to  any  remarkable  era  in  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel,  without  seeing  that  often  little 
things,  apparently  too  trivial  for  the  notice  of  ob- 
servers, exert  a vast  influence  in  shaping  the  progress 
of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Luther  discovers  an  old 
copy  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  amongst  the  dusty  vol- 
umes of  a neglected  library.  It  was  indeed  a little 
seed,  and  yet  behold  how  great  the  tree  which  has 
sprung  up  from  it,  whose  leaves  are  for  the  healing  of 
the  nations. 

So  it  is  at  the  present  day.  The  missionary  takes 
up  his  abode  among  a heathen  people ; he  applies 
himself  to  learn  their  language,  and  to  conciliate  their 
confidence.  Presently  he  speaks  to  them  with  a stam- 
mering tongue,  and  his  words  seem  to  them  as  idle 
words — without  meaning ; or  if  they  perceive  their 
meaning,  they  dislike  it,  they  refuse  to  accept  it,  they 
become  violently  opposed  to  it.  Yet  those  words  shall 
be  like  leaven,  silently  making  progress  in  the  hearts 


SMALL  BEGINNINGS -LARGE  GROWTH.  21 


of  men  ; and  like  the  grain  of  mustard  seed,  springing 
up  in  vigor  and  beauty,  a tree  of  life.  Thus  it  is  in 
many  places ; among  the  degraded  tribes  of  South 
Africa,  in  the  islands  of  the  sea.  Thus  it  shall  be 
everywhere.  Even  in  the  old  and  systematized  forms 
of  Hindu  and  Chinese  society,  the  mighty  influence 
of  religion  shall  spread  itself  throughout  the  mass  of 
their  numerous  millions  of  inhabitants. 

We  are  to  expect  all  this,  because  God  has  declared 
it.  His  truth  is  the  seed,  which  shall  spring  up  and 
bring  forth  the  fruits  of  eternal  life.  It  is  of  this 
divine  truth  that  God  hath  declared — “ For  as  the 
rain  cometh  down  and  the  snow  from  heaven,  and  re- 
turneth  not  thither,  but  watereth  the  earth,  and 
maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud,  that  it  may  give  seed 
to  the  sower  and  bread  to  the  eater ; so  shall  my 
word  be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  my  mouth : it  shall 
not  return  unto  me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplish  that 
which  I please,  and  it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing 
whereto  I sent  it.” 

Let  us  not  fail  to  consider,  then,  our  responsibility. 
We  have  the  seed  of  life  in  our  hands,  not  for  our- 
selves alone,  but  to  plant  and  sow  for  others.  Our 
missionary  brethren  are  now  employed  in  this  good 
work.  We  should  endeavor  to  strengthen  their 
hands.  We  should  greatly  add  to  their  number.  We 
should,  especially,  seek,  with  earnest  prayer,  the  bless- 
ing of  God  to  rest  upon  their  labors.  God  only  can 
give  the  increase,  but  he  will  give  that  increase  in 
answer  to  the  prayers  of  his  people. 

Consider,  also,  our  encouragement  to  go  forward  in 


22 


MIS  SION  A R V PAPERS. 


the  work  of  missions.  We  have  the  sure  word  of 
God,  confirmed  by  all  past  experience,  and  based  on 
the  very  nature  of  religion,  for  expecting  success. 
That  success  may  be  gradual,  but  it  shall  not  be  the 
less  certain.  One  becomes  a convert,  and  imme- 
diately exerts  an  influence  on  others,  and  they  again 
on  others,  and  thus  a widening  circle  is  formed,  which 
shall  at  length  include  whole  nations  in  its  bounda- 
ries. 

We  must  not,  therefore,  despise  the  day  of  small 
things.  If  we  see  not  immediate  results  we  may  hope 
for  them  hereafter.  It  may  be  ours  to  place  the 
leaven  in  the  midst  of  the  meal — to  plant  the  mustard 
seed  ; and  if  we  see  not  the  tree  with  its  wide-spread- 
ing branches,  we  may  be  assured  that  others  shall. 
This  is  our  encouragement. 


VI. 

“NOT  WITH  OBSERVATION.” 

A TRAVELLER,  who  had  visited  missionary  stations 
in  different  countries,  and  who  was  in  sympathy  with 
the  missionaries,  expressed  himself  afterward  as 
struck  with  the  small  visible  fruits  of  their  labors.  He 
was  delighted  with  a great  printing  establishment  at 
one  station,  a large  hospital  at  another,  a splendid 
school  for  girls  at  still  another,  all  under  the  best 
Christian  influence,  and  all  so  prominent  that  he  could 


“ NO T WITH  OBSER  VA  TION: 


23 


not  doubt  their  usefulness.  Neither  did  he  doubt  the 
usefulness  of  other  kinds  of  missionary  work,  but  re- 
gretted that  it  looked  so  small. 

Certainly  much  of  missionary  work  looks  small,  and 
is  small  relatively.  What  multitudes  of  heathen  peo- 
ple there  are  in  China,  India,  and  other  countries, 
and  how  few  the  laborers ! A province  of  nearly 
30,000,000  in  the  north  of  China  has  twelve  or  fifteen 
ministers  of  the  Gospel  from  all  the  Christian  denom- 
inations. Other  provinces,  still  fewer ; others,  none 
at  all.  A traveller  visiting  one  of  these  provinces 
could  hardly  expect  to  see  a large  array  of  missionary- 
labor  ; still  less,  to  see  much  fruit  if  the  laborers  had 
but  lately  entered  the  field. 

But  probably  the  discouragement  was  in  the  trav- 
eller himself.  He  may  have  made  too  much  of  ob- 
jective evidence,  and  too  little  of  faith.  Our  work  is 
one  of  faith.  Our  faith  uses  means,  and  expects  suc- 
cess ; but  it  respects  God’s  sovereignty,  in  providence 
and  grace,  both  for  the  time  and  the  manner  of  the 
blessing.  It  does  not  relax  its  labor  nor  its  hope  ; it 
follows  Jesus,  its  author  and  its  finisher,  into  the  des- 
titute harvest  fields  of  the  world,  and  his  promise 
that  he  will  draw  all  men  unto  him  is  ample  warrant 
for  patient,  steady  perseverance.  Feeble,  unobserved 
works  of  love  for  his  name  will  surely  be  crowned 
with  success,  visible  to  all  worlds. 

We  shall  do  well  to  remember  that  while  a passing 
traveller  may  see  small  results  of  much  labor,  a closer 
observer  may  see  vast  movements,  mightier  than  the 
tides  of  the  ocean.  Dr.  Morrison’s  years  of  unob- 


24 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


served  study  preceded  all  missionary  printing  in 
China.  In  Siam  for  many  years  all  was  apparently 
hopeless ; now  the  grain  of  mustard  seed  is  growing 
up  into  a tree  of  many  branches.  Thousands  of  Te- 
loogoos  have  within  the  last  year  been  received  as 
members  of  the  American  Baptist  and  the  English 
Episcopal  mission  churches ; but  these  are  the  fruits 
of  many  long  years  of  unobserved  labor,  and  of  labor 
at  first  apparently  fruitless.  We  remember  that  “the 
kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observation  ” ; but 
then  it  cometh,  and  our  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the 
Lord. 

We  may  well  stand  in  doubt  of  many  “great” 
things,  “ first-class  ” efforts,  “ brilliant  ” talents,  “ splen- 
did ” buildings,  “ grand  show,”  in  anything  pertaining 
to  the  spread  of  the  Gospel.  Not  that  God  may  not 
use  the  greatest  gifts  in  this  work, — the  Apostle  Paul 
was  a missionary  ; but  our  greatness  should  be  in  hu- 
mility, love  for  souls,  love  especially  for  our  blessed 
Saviour,  and  faithfulness  in  his  service.  Its  field  is  in 
things  spiritual,  not  in  material  objects.  Its  objective 
type  is  the  grain  of  mustard  seed.  Its  reward  is  the 
“ well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into 
the  joy  of  thy  Lord  ” — words  spoken  by  the  Lord 
himself. 


THE  CALL  OF  A MISSIONAR  V. 


25 


VII. 

THE  CALL  OF  A MISSIONARY. 

We  need  not  be  careful  to  distinguish  between  the 
call  to  be  a minister  and  the  call  to  be  a missionary. 
The  former  includes  a larger  number  of  persons  ; but 
the  latter  requires  much  the  same  qualifications,  is 
governed  by  the  same  motives,  and  is  directed  to  the 
same  ends.  In  either  case  such  a call  should  be : 

1st.  From  God,  by  his  word,  his  providence,  and 
his  Spirit. 

2d.  It  will  then  be  heard  in  the  soul  of  him  to 
whom  it  is  addressed.  His  personal  convictions  of 
duty,  and  his  desire  of  the  work, — this  inner  experi- 
ence, is  essential,  and  ordinarily  it  precedes  any  action. 
This  inner  experience  implies  a personal  consecration 
to  the  service  of  God,  leading  him  to  ask,  “ Lord, 
what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ? ” This  consecration  is  so 
unqualified  that  it  is  ready  to  say  with  heartfelt  de- 
votion, “ Here  am  I,  send  me.”  It  is  not,  however,  a 
blind  experience.  It  is  founded  in  grace.  It  is  con- 
firmed by  the  study  of  one’s  natural  and  acquired 
gifts  and  providential  circumstances,  those  especially 
which  relate  to  one’s  engaging  in  actual  missionary 
life  and  work.  It  was  this  inner  experience,  coupled 
with  the  study  of  Providence,  that  led  most  mission- 
aries to  ask  for  appointment,  or  to  signify  their  will- 
ingness to  be  appointed  to  the  work  abroad.  The 
recent  statement  that  the  late  Dr.  Duff  was  first  called 
by  a Missionary  Committee  is  erroneous.  His  memoir 


2 


26 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


shows  that  his  purpose  of  entering  on  missionary  life 
preceded  his  appointment ; it  was  a purpose  well 
known  to  his  family  and  friends. 

3d.  Under  the  prompting  of  this  inward  call,  a man 
might  well  go  forth  as  a missionary  without  waiting 
for  a commission  from  a missionary  board  ; some,  in- 
deed, have  done  so.  But  if  his  convictions  of  useful- 
ness lead  him,  as  they  should,  to  desire  co-operation 
with  other  missionaries  in  organized  relations,  and  if 
he  require  funds  for  his  support  from  other  follow- 
ers of  Christ,  the  necessity  arises  of  his  call  being  veri- 
fied,— of  his  Christian  brethren  being  satisfied  that  he 
is  not  acting  from  mere  impulse  and  ignorance,  but 
that  he  has  indeed  been  called  of  God  to  this  work. 
Otherwise  they  may  spend  their  gifts  in  vain,  and 
even  do  more  harm  than  good.  How  they  are  to  be 
satisfied  in  any  given  case  is  a question  variously  an- 
swered. In  churches  of  the  Presbyterian  order,  the 
final  decision  of  this  question  is  entrusted  to  the 
Presbytery.  Preliminary  to  its  action  the  instruction 
and  counsel  of  parents  and  pastors,  the  opinions  of 
seminary  professors,  medical  men,  and  classmates,  the 
information  of  missionary  secretaries  may  all  be  con- 
sidered, and  may  go  far  to  justify  the  Board  in  ap- 
pointing him,  subject  to  the  approval  of  Presbytery. 
The  sreneral  method  thus  indicated  has  been  followed 
for  a long  time.  It  rests  on  the  single  idea  of  choos- 
ing for  missionaries  only  men  whom  God  has  chosen 
— “ picked  men,”  first  picked  by  God.  It  has  respect 
first  to  a man’s  personal  convictions  of  his  call ; next, 
to  satisfactory  recommendations ; and  then  to  the 


THE  CALL  OF  A MISSIONAR  Y. 


27 


official  approval  of  the  Church  by  its  authorized  Pres- 
bytery. The  practical  results  of  this  line  of  proced- 
ure have  certainly  been  good.  The  missionaries  of 
the  Board  have  fairly  represented  the  ministry  of  the 
Church.  Among  them  have  been  some  of  the  fore- 
most men  in  their  seminary  classes,  indeed  some  of 
the  ablest  'men  in  our  ministry ; and  others,  if  not  so 
eminent  in  talents  and  scholarship,  yet  not  less  useful 
in  fields  to  which  they  were  adapted,  and  not  less 
held  in  honor  by  their  Christian  brethren — men  for 
whose  character,  attainments,  life,  and  labors  the 
Church  may  well  be  grateful. 

4th.  It  must  be  conceded  that  brethren  sometimes 
shrink  from  applying  for  a commission  to  enter  on 
missionary  life,  though  they  would  willingly  go  if  an 
appointment  were  offered  to  them.  This  hesitation 
may  be  partly  owing  to  self-distrust,  and  partly  in 
some  cases  to  the  fear  of  not  being  appointed ; still 
more  frequently  it  may  be  owing  to  their  not  distin- 
guishing between  two  things  that  differ— the  call  and 
the  commission.  But  no  embarrassment  need  result, 
it  may  be  believed,  if  a willingness  to  enter  on  mis- 
sionary life  and  work  were  properly  made  known,  by 
those  whose  conviction  of  duty  did  not  prompt  them 
to  make  a request  for  appointment. 

5th.  The  plan  of  placing  the  whole  responsibility  of 
the  call  and  appointment  on  the  missionary  Board 
would  be  a very  grave  mistake.  1st.  This  plan  transfers 
the  study  of  duty  from  the  man  himself  to  the  Board, 
which  is  contrary  to  both  grace  and  Providence.  2d. 
It  leaves  men  to  wait  until  some  Board  offers  them  a 


28 


M I S SION  A R V PAPERS. 


commission,  and  thus  lessens  the  number  of  mission- 
aries. 3d.  How  is  the  Board  to  find  the  right  men? 
The  members  of  the  Board  cannot  themselves  ascer- 
tain the  required  information.  The  missionary  sec- 
retaries may  equally  fail  to  learn  all  that  should  be 
known ; indeed,  in  how  many  cases  would  they  learn 
nothing  at  all  ? Even  the  theological  professors  may 
be  imperfectly  acquainted  with  many  things  that 
ought  to  be  considered.  How,  then,  is.  intelligent 
action  to  be  taken  ? 4th.  It  underrates  the  inner  ex- 
perience, and  overrates  external  conditions.  5th.  It 
is  not  favored  by  past  history.  The  plan  of  offering 
men  commissions,  without  the  “written  document,” 
indeed,  but  also  without  reference  to  their  personal 
views  of  duty,  has  been  repeatedly  tested,  and  in  each 
case  without  success. 


VIII. 

THE  IMPRESS  OF  HEATHENISM— YET  THE  HEA- 
THEN NOT  HOPELESS. 

IT  is  but  little  that  mere  arithmetical  figures  effect 
toward  showing  the  condition  of  the  world  in  a moral 
point  of  view.  The  conceptions  which  we  form  of 
very  large  numbers  are  vague  and  general ; we  can 
more  readily  form  definite  and  heart-affecting  views 
of  the  wants  of  two  or  three  scores  of  our  fellow-men, 
than  of  two  or  three  hundred  millions.  Our  imper- 
fect apprehensions,  however,  should  not  be  allowed  to 


THE  IMPRESS  OF  HE  A THEN  ISM. 


29 


withdraw  our  minds  from  the  affecting  case  of  the  hea- 
then. Those  numerous  tribes  and  nations,  which  are 
still  destitute  of  the  means  of  grace,  are  composed  of 
separate  families ; the  myriads  of  their  inhabitants 
are  made  up  of  individuals ; each  heathen  man,  and 
woman,  and  child,  is  of  the  same  parentage  with  our- 
selves, of  like  never-ending  existence,  of  not  less 
urgent  wants,  of  not  less  exalted  capacities ; concern- 
ing each  one  of  all  those  multitudes,  the  great  ques- 
tion must  be  asked,  “ What  is  a man  profited,  if  he 
shall  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul?” 
The  heathen  are  individuals,  personally  responsible 
to  God  for  their  character  and  their  conduct. 

They  are  fallen,  depraved,  guilty.  Dense  clouds  of 
ignorance  have  settled  down  on  their  minds.  The 
strongest  prejudices  and  the  direst  superstition  fill 
and  desolate  their  hearts.  Hosts  of  bigoted  priests 
and  the  unbroken  despotism  of  heathen  rulers  chain 
them  down  in  the  worst  bondage — that  of  the  soul. 
Their  domestic  relations,  their  social  intercourse,  their 
business  transactions,  all  bear  the  impress  of  heathen- 
ism. Their  times  of  sorrow  and  their  hour  of  disso- 
lution are  full  of  darkness.  The  future  world  is  either 
unknown  by  them,  or  greatly  feared.  They  are  not 
prepared  for  heaven  ; they  can  not  look  forward  with 
peace  and  hope  to  the  enjoyment  of  God’s  favor 
throughout  unceasing  ages.  Should  we  not  feel  deep- 
ly concerned  for  their  lamentable  condition  ? Should 
we  not  charge  upon  ourselves  the  duty  of  earnestly 
caring  for  these  wretched  people,  of  showing  toward 
them  the  same  compassion  which  we  trust  our  Sav- 


3° 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


iour  has  shown  toward  ourselves,  of  using  for  them 
the  same  means  by  which  our  minds  have  become 
enlightened  in  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God  and 
eternal  life  ? 

The  numbers  of  the  heathen  are  so  great,  their 
moral  blindness  and  degradation  so  extreme,  the  dif- 
ficulties which  hinder  their  conversion  so  apparently 
insuperable,  that  some  may  be  in  danger  of  doubting 
the  success  of  all  missionary  efforts ; indeed  there  are 
those  who  consider  the  missionary  work  a hopeless 
undertaking — who  ask,  what  can  the  feeble  efforts  of 
Christians  avail  in  such  a cause? 

We  have  a short  answer  to  these  doubts.  The 
work  is  God’s.  Therefore,  it  is  not  hopeless.  He 
works  by  means  — by  our  efforts,  by  our  prayers. 
Therefore  we  have  much  to  do  ; our  agency  is  indis- 
pensable, because  God  has  appointed  it. 

Far  from  being  hopeless,  this  great  work  is  now  in 
the  course  of  successful  accomplishment.  Many  lights 
have  been  kindled  in  the  dark  places  of  the  earth. 
Much  leaven  of  the  Gospel  has  been  spread  among 
the  nations.  Many  trees  of  righteousness  have  been 
planted  in  desert  lands ; much  fruit  has  already  been 
gathered.  Redeemed  souls  are  now  with  Christ, 
through  God’s  blessing  on  missionary  labors,  and 
others  are  on  their  way  to  that  better  world,  whom 
we  shall  hope  to  meet  before  long,  and  to  unite  with 
them  in  the  songs  of  praise  to  him  that  hath  washed 
us  in  his  own  blood,  and  made  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God.  Enough  has  already  been  done  to  repay, 
and  far  more  than  repay,  the  Church  for  all  the  la- 


THE  IMPRESS  OF  HE  A THEN  ISM. 


3i 


bors  and  sacrifices  that  have  been  bestowed  on  the 
work  of  Christian  missions. 

Now,  the  success  of  the  past  is  one  of  our  encour- 
agements as  to  the  future.  Past  success  is  an  earnest 
or  pledge  of  what  “ the  Captain  of  Salvation  ” will 
hereafter  perform.  And  we  may  hope  for  the  much 
more  widely  extended  and  the  far  more  rapid  spread 
of  the  Gospel  in  time  to  come.  Many  heathen  lan- 
guages have  been  acquired ; the  Sacred  Scriptures 
have  been  translated  into'  many  tongues ; hundreds 
of  churches  have  been  formed  ; thousands  of  youth 
are  under  religious  instruction ; and  native  ministers 
of  the  Gospel  are  now  preaching  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ  to  their  countrymen.  All  this  is  most 
animating,  even  if  it  must  be  regarded  as  only  the 
day  of  small  things.  All  this  is  most  encouraging, 
not  because  it  proves  the  work  nearly  done,  but  be- 
cause it  shows  the  work  begun,  and  shows  also,  what 
is  chiefly  to  be  regarded,  that  the  blessing  of  God  has 
been  granted  to  these  missionary  efforts.  That  bless- 
ing, without  which  all  our  labors  would  be  in  vain, 
shall  not  be  withheld  in  future.  The  light  of  the 
Gospel  shall  rise  higher  up  in  the  regions  of  heathen- 
ism, and  spread  far  abroad  over  the  land,  and  pervade 
every  pagan  temple,  and  shine  into  every  dark  mind 
of  man,  and  “ the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.”  Such  is 
our  faith  and  our  hope. 


32 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


IX. 

THE  WORTH  OF  A SOUL  IN  AMERICA  AND  CHINA. 

Many  of  our  readers  have  probably  preached  ser- 
mons on  the  worth  of  the  soul.  Its  faculties,  its  capac- 
ity of  progress,  its  never-ending  existence,  the  great 
object  of  its  life,  have  been  specified,  and  especially 
the  price  paid  for  its  redemption.  All  of  these  con- 
siderations apply  equally  to  the  soul  of  a Chinaman 
and  the  soul  of  an  American. 

Granted  that  providential  circumstances,  of  birth, 
wealth,  etc.,  may  make  some  difference ; yet,  not 
much.  The  joy  of  the  angels  over  a repenting  sinner 
does  not  much  depend  on  his  being  an  American  or 
a Chinaman.  Granted  also  that  talent  and  education 
may  enable  one  man  to  be  more  influential  than  an- 
other; yet  many  of  the  Chinese  are  men  of  great 
talent;  the  American  Minister,  when  the  Ministers  of 
Great  Britain,  France,  the  United  States,  and  China, 
met  some  years  ago  at  Canton  to  form  a treaty,  con- 
sidered the  Chinese  ambassador  as  one  of  the  ablest 
men  of  the  convention.  A vast  influence  may  be 
wielded  by  a converted  Chinaman.  One  light  shining 
in  a dark  place  may  be  more  conspicuous  than  a score 
of  lights  in  a room  already  well  supplied  with  can- 
dles. But  we  take  little  interest  in  these  comparisons. 
Our  Saviour  did  not  make  them  when  he  gave  his 
last  commandment  to  his  disciples ; and  his  grace  can 
lift  up  the  down-trodden  and  the  degraded  to  the 
level  of  the  highest  and  best  amongst  us.  What  has 


PRAYER  AND  CORRESPONDING  MEANS.  33 


not  this  grace  accomplished  for  many  souls  in  Chris- 
tian lands  ! What  could  it  not  do  for  many  a China- 
man? We  make  a large  part  of  our  plea  for  the  hea- 
then to  rest  not  on  their  being  so  noble,  but  so  de- 
graded and  sinful ; not  on  their  lot  being  cast  in  such 
delightful  countries,  but  in  lands  long  down-trodden, 
and  too  fruitful  of  hardship,  suffering,  and  death. 
There  shall  our  blessed  Lord  “ say  to  the  prisoners, 
Go  forth ; to  them  that  are  in  darkness,  Show  your- 
selves.” 


X. 

PRAYER  AND  CORRESPONDING  MEANS. 

The  “life  of  trust” — or  of  faith — does  not  depend 
on  prayer  alone,  but  must  use  all  appropriate  means 
also,  to  gain  its  good  objects.  Let  no  one  think  when 
he  has  offered  the  prayer* “Thy  Kingdom  come,”  that 
he  has  only  to  wait  until  it  does  come.  As  well  might 
he  wait  for  his  daily  bread,  without  ploughing  or 
sowing,  without  actual  work  in  the  counting-room, 
the  field,  or  the  office,  after  offering  the  prayer,  “ Give 
us  this  day  our  daily  bread.”  The  bread  will  not 
come  without  the  use  of  means  corresponding  to  the 
prayer.  All  this  we  recognize  and  act  upon  in  our 
every-day  life,  and  so  we  must  in  our  life  of  trust,  es- 
pecially in  its  active  development  in  the  work  of  mis- 
sions. We  do  not  underrate  the  power  of  prayer;  it 
can  not  be  overrated.  It  is,  however,  not  on  our  poor 
prayers  that  we  are  to  rely,  but  on  the  divine  blessing 


34 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


given  graciously  in  answer  to  them  when  they  arc 
agreeable  to  the  will  of  God. 

We  all  admire  the  noble  devotedness  of  one  who 
founded  great  orphan  asylums,  without  sending  out 
collecting  agents,  or  making  personal  appeals  for  the 
moneys  required  for  his  purpose ; but  we  must  not 
think  that  prayer  was  the  only  means  employed. 
There  stand  the  buildings  and  the  orphans — the  for- 
mer small  at  first,  the  latter  few  comparatively  at 
first;  but  they  were  under  the  eyes  of  many  wealthy 
and  humane  persons,  from  year  to  year.  As  they  vis- 
ited the  place  of  leisurely  rest  did  they  not  also  visit 
these  orphanages?  No  doubt  they  saw  the  orphan 
children,  and  they  learned  the  good  efforts  made  for 
their  welfare  and  the  need  of  pecuniary  gifts  for  their 
support.  What  more  effective  means  could  be  used 
to  second  the  earnest  prayers  offered  for  these  orphan- 
ages ? We  are  far  from  disparaging  anything  con- 
nected with  them;  indeed  we  are  grateful  for  such 
remarkable  works  of  benevolence ; but  we  see  that 
prayer  and  other  means  also  were  used  with  marked 
ability  to  secure  the  good  result.  And  so  in  our  mis- 
sionary work — prayer  is  indispensable.  Would  there 
were  amongst  us  far  more  who  abound  in  prayer, 
whose  effectual,  fervent  prayers  avail  much ! They 
would  be  among  the  foremost  in  going  out  as  mis- 
sionaries ; or  if  this  could  not  be,  in  using  all  proper 
means  corresponding  to  their  prayers  for  the  support 
of  those  who  could  go,  for  the  enlargement  of  their 
work,  and  for  the  blessing  of  God  on  the  labor  of 
their  hands. 


A HEATHEN  TEMPLE  IN  CHINA. 


35 


XI. 

A HEATHEN  TEMPLE  IN  CHINA. 

In  most  countries,  there  are  buildings  set  apart  for 
religious  worship.  These  buildings  among  Christians, 
as  our  youngest  readers  know,  are  called  churches , or 
sometimes  chapels ; among  Mohammedans  they  are 
called  mosques ; and  among  pagans,  it  is  common  to 
call  them  temples.  This  word,  however,  is  not  used 
exclusively  for  pagan  religious  buildings.  In  France 
it  is  usual  to  call  the  churches  of  Protestants  temples  ; 
and  this  for  nearly  the  same  reason  which  leads  peo- 
ple in  England  to  call  the  churches  of  Dissenters 
chapels — a reason  growing  out  of  the  pride  and  big- 
otry of  the  established  or  the  prevalent  denomina- 
tions. 

One  of  the  temples  of  the  Chinese  heathens  is  on 
Honan,  an  island  near  Canton.  If  it  were  not  for  its 
connection  with  idolatry  we  could  look  at  it  with 
much  pleasure.  We  should  see  a small  and  not  un- 
graceful building,  which  we  might  fancy  to  be  a sum- 
mer-house in  a garden.  Extensive  gardens  are  in  fact 
connected  with  it,  which  are  entered  through  a gate- 
way guarded  by  figures  of  deified  warriors.  A broad 
pathway  conducts  us  to  the  temple,  shaded  on  each 
side  by  the  branches  of  the  beautiful  banyan.  Thus 
everything  in  its  position  and  the  surrounding  scen- 
ery is  attractive,  peaceful,  inviting  to  meditation  and 
devotion.  Having  said  this  much,  we  can  say  no 
more  in  its  praise.  If  you  should  look  into  the  tern- 


36 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


pie  through  its  open  side,  you  would  see  on  the  inner 
wall  three  large  images  of  the  idol  Buddh.  These  are 
intended  to  represent  him  as  the  god  of  the  past,  the 
present,  and  the  future.  Buddh  thus  usurps  the  prov- 
ince of  the  only  living  and  true  God,  and  his  worship, 
like  that  of  most  idols,  profanes  also  the  idea  of  what 
the  true  God  is  by  images.  In  this  way,  therefore, 
both  the  first  and  the  second  commandments  are 
broken. 

If  you  should  look  again,  you  would  see  an  altar, 
or  a table,  covered  with  various  offerings ; on  the  left 
side,  and  on  the  right  too,  are  many  images  of  Chi- 
nese deified  heroes;  several  lanterns  suspended  in  dif- 
ferent places,  to  throw  light  over  the  evening  cere- 
monies ; and  several  priests  worshipping  the  hideous 
images  of  Buddh. 

This  is  one  temple,  out  of  a great  number  in  China. 
They  are  not  all  alike ; indeed  they  differ  greatly  from 
each  other  in  size,  situation,  and  the  idols  for  whose 
worship  they  have  been  erected.  But  this  view  of 
the  temple  at  Honan  will  serve  to  give  us  a general 
impression  of  what  Idolatry  is  not,  and  of  what  it  is. 

1.  It  is  not  a worship  of  the  true  God. 

2.  It  is  not  a worship  suited  to  people  who  need 
instruction.  Here  is  no  pulpit,  no  preacher,  no  Bible, 
no  seats  for  hearers,  no  place  for  a Sunday-school. 

3.  It  is  not  a worship  suited  to  sinners.  Here  is 
nothing  to  set  forth  the  idea  of  our  need  of  forgive- 
ness, and  purity  of  heart  and  life.  It  is  not  the  wor- 
ship of  righteous  Abel,  but  of  self-righteous  Cain,  who 
was  satisfied  with  offering  some  of  the  fruits  of  the 


A HEA  THEN  TEMPLE  IN  CHINA.  37 

earth  to  his  Maker,  but  felt  not  his  need  of  u the 
blood  of  sprinkling.” 

4.  We  can  easily  understand,  moreover,  that  it  is 
not  a worship  suited  to  afflicted  and  dying  persons. 
It  can  give  them  no  support  and  no  comfort  in  their 
affliction,  and  no  peace  nor  any  hope  in  their  dying 
hours. 

5.  It  is  not  a worship,  therefore,  suited  to  the  nev- 
er-dying soul.  It  gives  no  true  light  concerning  the 
world  beyond  the  grave.  It  is,  indeed,  an  unsatisfy- 
ing, deluding,  miserable  worship  ; and  greatly,  to  be 
pitied  are  they  who  know  of  nothing  better.  This 
will  appear,  further,  if  we  consider  briefly  what  Idola- 
try is,  as  shown  by  its  worship  in  the  temple  at  Honan. 

1.  It  is  giving  honor  to  other  gods  than  the  one 
living  and  true  God. 

2.  It  is  having  images,  and  worshipping  them  in- 
stead of  the  true  God. 

3.  It  is  an  outward,  ceremonial  practice,  or  a doing 
of  certain  rites,  as  if  these  could  be  pleasing  to  God, 
and  meritorious  in  his  sight  without  confession  of  sin, 
and  without  faith  in  the  only  mediator  between  God 
and  man. 

4.  Being  thus  a mere  ritual  worship,  it  is  as  such  in 
a great  degree  burdensome  and  oppressive  to  those 
who  engage  in  it.  They  give  their  time  and  their 
property  for  that  which  does  them  no  good  at  all,  but 
is  utterly  useless.  In  the  hope  of  removing  sickness, 
in  time  of  bereavement,  in  the  fear  of  death,  the  poor 
deluded  worshippers  will  send  costly  presents  to  them 
that  are  no  gods,  and  spend  large  sums  in  feeing  their 


38 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


not  less  deluded  and  often  far  more  wicked  priests, 
for  performing  these  worthless  rites.  After  all,  they 
are  not  relieved,  nor  comforted,  but  are  only  made 
worse,  in  their  sin  and  misery. 

5.  It  is  a worship,  which  gives  license  to  almost 
every  sin.  Its  gods  are  sinners ; its  priests  sin  with 
little  restraint ; its  votaries  sin  unblushingly.  It  is  a 
worship  which  offends  God,  pleases  the  devil,  and  de- 
stroys the  souls  of  men. 

The  object  of  Christian  Missions  is  to  change  these 
heathen  temples  into  churches  of  Christ,  to  banish 
this  wretched  worship  out  of  China  and  every  other 
country,  and  to  teach  our  poor  fellow-travellers  to  the 
eternal  world  how  to  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in 
truth.  In  this  way  the  missionary  and  every  friend 
and  supporter  of  missions  seek  to  confer  the  greatest 
possible  blessings,  temporal  and  eternal,  upon  those 
who  now  vainly  resort  to  this  temple  of  Honan,  and 
other  houses  of  idols. 


XII. 

IS  MISSIONARY  LIFE  FAVORABLE  TO  PIETY? 

Most  persons  believe  that  missionaries  are  men 
and  women  of  piety  far  above  that  of  common  Chris- 
tians. This  opinion  is  founded  partly  on  their  being 
willing  to  give  up  their  friends  and  home  for  the  pur- 
pose of  living  among  the  heathen.  It  is  supposed 


MISSIONAR  V LIFE. 


39 


that  such  a sacrifice  could  be  made  only  under  the 
influence  of  strong  religious  principle ; and  it  is  fur- 
ther supposed  that  missionary  life  must  be  in  a great 
degree  favorable  to  eminent  attainments  in  piety, 
Many  have  read  the  memoirs  of  missionaries  like 
Brainerd,  Martyn,  Harriet  Newell,  and  others,  who 
were  eminent  in  the  graces  of  a holy  life ; and  these 
have  been  taken  as  the  examples  of  the  piety  of  all 
missionaries. 

The  missionaries  themselves,  no  doubt,  would  as  a 
body  earnestly  wish  that  this  common  opinion  of 
their  piety  were  well  founded  ; but  they  would  regret 
the  prevalence  of  mistaken  views  on  such  a subject. 
The  , missionary  body  is  now  a somewhat  large  one, 
and  it  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  must  em- 
brace members,  whose  attainments  in  the  divine  life 
are  far  from  being  either  uniform  or  eminent.  It  is 
not  doubted,  indeed,  that  many  of  those  who  con- 
tribute to  their  support,  remaining  at  home  accord- 
ing to  the  will  of  God,  are  influenced  by  greater  faith 
and  love,  and  make  greater  sacrifice  of  ease  and  com- 
fort for  the  sake  of  the  heathen,  than  are  found  among 
some  of  those  who  are  on  missionary  ground.  When 
missionaries  return  from  their  fields  of  labor,  on  visits 
for  their  health,  or  in  order  to  engage  in  labors  in  the 
home  field,  the  impression  made  by  them  in  their  in- 
tercourse with  the  Christian  community  is  found  to 
be  marked  by  great  degrees  of  inequality;  some  are 
felt  to  be  holy  men  and  women  ; others  would  hardly 
be  selected  as  examples  of  an  unworldly  and  humble 
piety — seeking  not  its  own  things,  but  the  things  of 


40 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Christ.  It  is  doubtless  true  that  men  may  become 
missionaries  without  being  persons  eminent  in  grace. 
The  vow  of  consecration,  sincere  and  controlling,  may 
lead  them  to  go  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  ; while  yet 
they  may  be  greatly  defective  in  love  to  God  and 
men.  The  Apostle  gives  a striking  view  of  this  in 
I Cor.  xiii.,  and  we  see  Romanist  missionaries  encoun- 
tering all  the  privations  and  dangers  of  a residence 
among  the  heathen.  In  cases  where  love  is  not  want- 
ing, it  may  be  sadly  counterbalanced  by  selfishness, 
pride,  or  vanity.  Very  devoted  persons  are  some- 
times self-willed,  overbearing,  deficient  in  the  gentler 
graces,  unlovable.  In  short,  the  fact  of  a man’s  be- 
coming a missionary  is  a presumptive  proof  of  his 
elevated  piety,  but  we  must  look  to  his  subsequent 
life  for  the  evidence  that  he  walks  in  the  footsteps  of 
Martyn  or  Brainerd  ; yet  it  is  an  assured  truth  that 
many  of  the  most  excellent  of  the  earth,  in  the  rich 
experience  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  in  its  beautiful 
manifestation  in  a holy,  humble  life,  are  to  be  found 
in  the  missionary  body. 

Contraiy  to  the  impression  of  many,  missionary 
life  is  not  peculiarly  conducive  to  eminence  in  piety. 
Such,  it  is  believed,  will  be  the  testimony  of  all  mis- 
sionaries. Many  causes  tend  to  hinder  their  growth 
in  grace.  The  stated  services  of  the  sanctuary,  the 
communion  of  saints,  the  incentive  of  Christian  exam- 
ple, are  seldom  largely  enjoyed  on  missionary  ground. 
At  home  the  piety  of  the  members  of  the  church  is 
greatly  strengthened  by  these  things.  After  the  quiet 
and  the  worship  of  the  Sabbath,  the  people  of  God 


MISSTONAR  F LIFE. 


4i 


go  forth  to  the  employments  of  the  week,  with  new 
strength  to  resist  temptations  and  to  abound  in  every 
good  word  and  work;  and  if  they  should  become 
weary  or  discouraged,  they  are  often  cheered  by  the 
kindly  voice  of  a sympathizing  Christian  friend,  or 
animated  by  his  example.  The  missionary,  at  many  a 
station,  seldom  witnesses  a Sabbath  day  in  the  world 
around  him,  and  finds  it  no  easy  matter  to  keep  alive 
in  his  own  little  circle  the  happy  influences  of  the 
day  of  rest.  The  privation  of  the  means  of  grace,  es- 
pecially as  these  are  enjoyed  in  common  with  other 
disciples  of  kindred  intelligence  and  culture,  is  one  of 
the  serious  drawbacks  to  missionary  piety. 

But  there  are  more  positive  hinderances.  The  pres- 
ence of  heathenism  itself  must  be  reckoned  among 
these.  The  missionary  is  by  nature  a man  of  like  pas- 
sions with  the  people  around  him.  Their  low  views  * 
and  corrupt  practices  may,  at  first,  be  looked  upon 
with  unmitigated  disgust,  but  they  come  at  length  to 
be  regarded  as  customary,  and  imperceptibly  they  ex- 
ert a stupefying  power  over  the  soul,  like  a poisoned 
atmosphere  benumbing  the  facilities  of  the  body.  At 
many  stations,  moreover,  there  is  more  or  less  inter- 
course between  missionaries  and  worldly-minded  Eu- 
ropeans and  Americans  — an  intercourse  which  for 
some  reasons  it  is  desirable  to  maintain ; and  yet  too 
often  it  results  in  a sadly  deteriorated  tone  of  spiritu- 
ality among  the  servants  of  Christ.  Melancholy  wrecks 
of  missionary  usefulness  can  be  traced  in  part  to  this 
cause,  and  even  the  withdrawal  of  some  from  the  mis- 
sionary work.  Where  such  extreme  results  have  not 


42 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


followed,  there  has  been  a sensitiveness  to  the  praise 
of  men,  an  impatience  of  temper,  a weariness  of  the 
work,  or  a concern  for  personal  comfort,  which  would 
have  been  looked  upon  with  equal  surprise  and  grief 
by  the  missionary  at  an  earlier  stage  of  his  course. 
The  intercourse,  also,  of  missionary  families  with  each 
other,  especially  at  a large  station,  may  be  too  readily 
marked  by  the  want  of  religious  purpose,  and  too 
easily  degenerate  into  unprofitable  commonplaces ; 
though  unsocial,  morose,  or  unbending  severity  are  no 
more  praiseworthy  at  a missionary  station  than  in  a 
home  parsonage.  The  main  and  great  difficulty,  how- 
ever, that  hinders  the  growth  of  piety  everywhere,  is 
not  found  in  outward  circumstances,  but  in  the  heart 
within.  This  remains  deceitful,  prone  to  go  astray, 
ready  to  be  weary  of  a self-denying  life,  craving  ease, 
longing  for  earthly  enjoyment.  It  is  the  same  evil 
heart  of  unbelief  after  it  has  crossed  the  sea ; and  it 
will  always  be  the  same,  except  as  divine  grace  re- 
news it,  sanctifies  it,  and  fits  it  for  heaven — thereby 
best  fitting  it  for  usefulness  and  happiness  among  the 
heathen. 

It  were  wrong  to  make  the  impression  that  mis- 
sionary life  possesses  no  advantages  for  the  growth  of 
grace  in  the  heart.  The  true  Christian  will  grow  in 
grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ  in  any  and  every 
lawful  calling,  and  in  any  place  on  the  earth  ; this  is 
not  to  be  questioned.  Moreover,  the  calling  and  du- 
ties of  a missionary  are  in  some  important  respects 
favorable  to  a life  of  piety.  His  time  is  wholly  set 
apart  to  his  great  work ; no  portion  of  it  is  consumed 


MISSIONARY  LIFE. 


43 


in  providing  the  means  of  his  support,  nor  is  his  mind 
often  corroded  with  anxiety  as  to  “ making  the  two 
ends  meet  ” ; but  with  a heart  free  from  care  and  full 
of  gratitude,  he  may  give  himself  up  to  the  work  set 
before  him.  In  entering  on  this  work  and  continuing 
in  it,  he  is  constantly  reminded  of  the  great  grace 
given  unto  himself,  in  making  him  to  differ  from  the 
miserable  heathens  around  him  ; and  this  becomes  an 
affecting  motive  to  draw  him  near  the  Saviour,  and  to 
make  him  faithful  in  the  work  to  which  he  has  been 
called.  That  work  itself  exerts  an  important  influ- 
ence on  his  piety.  It  is  the  work  of  saving  lost  souls. 
It  has  to  deal  chiefly  with  the  essential  truths  of  the 
great  salvation.  It  may  lack  the  variety  of  study 
which  the  pastoral  office  in  a Christian  country  re- 
quires, but  it  will  also  lack  some  of  its  temptations. 
And  under  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit,  the  mission- 
ary’s instruction  and  experience,  as  a teacher  of  re- 
ligion, will  tend  to  promote  his  own  progress  and 
comfort  in  the  divine  life.  Often  will  his  thoughts 
travel  homeward,  moreover,  and  always  with  the  ten- 
derest  emotion;  more  than  ever  will  he  prize  the  be- 
loved Church  whose  servant  he  is  among  the  heathen  ; 
and  whether  he  remembers  his  relatives  or  his  Chris- 
tian friends,  he  will  feel  himself  impelled  to  a high 
and  holy  life,  by  every  tender  recollection  of  their 
sympathy  and  love.  Few  men  are  borne  up  by  so 
many  prayers.  Few  men  could  halt  in  their  Christian 
course,  and  thereby  grieve  so  many  pious  hearts. 
And  what  is  far  more,  he  feels  himself  to  be  in  a 
special  sense  under  the  eye  and  the  arm  of  the  blessed 


44 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Saviour,  according  to  his  promise,  which  has  a pe- 
culiar value  to  one  who  is  literally  obeying  its  pre- 
ceding commandment.  These  are  holy  incentives  to 
a life  of  piety  among  the  gospel-needing  heathen. 

The  missionary,  like  his  Christian  brethren  at  home, 
is  engaged  in  a warfare,  encounters  temptations,  is 
called  to  endure  various  trials,  sickness,  bereave- 
ment ; and  together  with  these,  some  deep  sorrows, 
especially  those  connected  with  the  separation  of  his 
children  from  their  home  for  a season,  from  which  his 
brethren  in  a Christian  land  are  exempted ; but  he 
has  the  sure  promise  of  grace  to  help  in  every  time 
of  need.  He  finds  that,  with  the  grace  of  God,  mis- 
sionary life  and  missionary  work  are  full  of  blessing 
to  himself,  no  less'  than  to  others.  And  he  rejoices  to 
spend  and  be  spent  in  this  holy  service. 

Thoughts  like  these  may  indicate  the  way  in  which 
the  churches  at  home  can  best  promote  the  usefulness 
and  happiness  of  missionaries.  It  is  by  praying  for 
them,  that  they  may  be  eminent  in  piety — “Full  of 
faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.” 


XIII. 

THE  GREAT  WANT  OF  A MISSIONARY. 

We  have  hesitated  a little  to  print  the  following 
extract  from  a letter  received  from  one  of  our  re- 
spected missionary  brethren,  lest  it  should  be  misun- 


THE  GREA  T WANT  OF  A MISSIONAR  Y.  45 


derstood  as  expressing  more  than  the  writer  proba- 
bly intended  to  convey.  But  as  it  was  written,  we 
suppose,  for  public  use,  and  as  it  may  lead  many  of 
the  brethren  to  self-examination,  and  to  a more  ear- 
nest walk  with  God,  we  give  it  place  in  our  pages. 
It  may  be  of  service  to  many  of  us  here  at  home,  as 
well  as  to  some  on  missionary  ground.  We  add  only 
the  remark,  that,  while  there  is  everywhere  danger 
of  one’s  becoming  too  formal  in  the  performance  of 
regular  and  uniform  duty,  there  may  be  special  dan- 
gers to  the  life  of  piety  in  the  soul  in  one’s  walk  and 
conversation  at  a missionary  station. 

“ The  great  want  I find  in  myself,  and  I think  it  is 
the  great  want  of  the  missionaries  here,  and  one  of 
the  greatest  obstacles  to  our  success,  is  the  want  of 
an  entire  renunciation  of  self  and  of  more  entire  con- 
secration to  our  Master.  I believe  if  we  were  as  anx- 
ious in  regard  to  the  extension  of  our  Redeemer’s 
Kingdom,  as  we  are  in  regard  to  our  own  bodily  com- 
fort and  convenience,  and  talked  with  each  other  and 
thought  as  much  and  formed  as  many  plans  about  it, 
we  should  have  far  more  of  the  blessing  of  God  rest- 
ing upon  our  labors.  We  need  to  be  self-denying  in 
spirit,  for  our  external  circumstances  are  certainly 
exceedingly  comfortable — far  better  than  those  of 
most  of  our  ministers  at  home,  with  the  single  excep- 
tion of  being  so  far  away  from  our  friends.  Oh,  that 
the  Church  at  home  knew  and  felt  this  to  be  our 
great  want — spirituality  of  mind  and  earnest  conse- 
cration, and  would  direct  their  prayers  in  part  to  this 
special  object ! An  earnest  Christian  life,  it  seems  to 


46 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


me,  would  have  a most  powerful  influence  on  others ; 
I believe  there  must  be  a power  in  it  even  over  the 
heathen.  Oh,  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon 


XIV. 

THE  GIFTS  OF  THE  RICH. 

We  hear  a good  deal  of  the  gifts  of  the  poor. 
Nor  do  we  complain  of  this.  Their  liberality  often 
abounds  in  their  deep  poverty,  and  the  great  apostle 
thought  it  worthy  of  record  to  their  praise. 

But  we  would  also  like  to  hear  of  the  gifts  of  the 
rich.  And  we  may.  A few  days  ago,  a gentleman 
called  at  the  Mission  House  of  our  Board,  and  gave 
a donation  from  himself  and  a friend,  that  was  large 
enough  to  support  five  or  six  missionaries  for  a year 
in  Africa.  Not  long  ago  another  gentleman  called  at 
the  same  place,  and  “ wishing  to  do  a good  act  be- 
fore going  out  of  town,”  gave  a hundred  dollars  as 
his  gift  to  the  cause  of  missions.  Many  similar  ex- 
amples could,  no  doubt,  be  enumerated.  These  two 
impressed  my  mind  the  more  deeply,  because  of  their 
donors’  standing  as  thorough  business  men  in  the 
commercial  city  where  our  Board  is  located.  I know 
them  to  be  closely  observing  men,  of  the  best  judg- 
ment, of  large  views,  of  the  highest  integrity,  and 
well  acquainted  with  the  affairs  of  the  Board.  The 
donations  of  such  men  are  a strong  recommenda- 


THE  GIFTS  OF  THE  RICH.  47 

t 

tion  of  the  institution  to  which  they  were  made,  and 
a decided  testimony  to  the  importance  of  the  mis- 
sionary cause. 

Many  persons  do  not  think  rightly  of  the  gifts  of 
the  rich.  There  are  not  a few  who  will  say,  “ If  I 
were  rich,  I would  do”  so  and  so, — a remark  which 
often  shows  that  those  who  make  it  do  not  know 
themselves.  Human  nature  in  them  is  the  same 
as  in  their  richer  neighbor ; and  if  he  does  not  act 
agreeably  to  their  ideas  of  liberality,  it  is  a pre- 
sumptive proof  that  without  more  grace  they  would 
themselves  come  equally  short  when  placed  in  afflu- 
ent circumstances.  If  they  were  rich,  they  would 
probably  give  less  to  the  cause  of  Christ  than  they 
do  now.  Let  them  learn  a lesson  of  charity  from 
the  many  examples  of  this  kind,  presented  by  those 
who  have  received  worldly  prosperity  without  cor- 
responding grace,  and  whose  hearts  have  grown 
smaller  as  their  wealth  increased. 

Few  are  aware  of  the  multiplication  of  expenses 
which  commonly  attends  the  acquirement  and  the 
possession  of  riches.  Few  remember  the  scripture, 
“ If  riches  are  increased,  they  are  increased  that  eat 
'them.”  Few  consider  the  claims,  well  and  ill  found- 
ed, which  are  made  on  a rich  man’s  property  by  his 
connections  and  acquaintances,  in  many  forms  — 
claims  more  easily  complained  of  than  refused.  Few 
are  aware  of  the  number  of  applications  in  the  sacred 
names  of  religion  or  benevolence,  which  are  made  to 
men  of  reputed  wealth  and  liberality,  applications 
of  all  sorts  and  from  all  places,  urged  without  discrim- 


48 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


ination  and  with  ample  zeal,  and  yet  often  so  un- 
worthy in  themselves  and  so  unbecomingly  presented, 
that  it  seems  wonderful  that  a feeling  of  disgust  is 
not  more  frequently  aroused  against  everything  that 
wears  the  appearance  of  a request  for  pecuniary  aid. 
And  few  are  at  all  aware  of  the  manifold  temptations 
which  are  likely  to  assail  a man  of  large  means,  and 
which  we  may  believe,  in  connection  with  other 
things,  led  our  Saviour  to  utter  those  solemn  words, 
“ How  hardly  shall  a rich  man  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  ! ” Few  consider  these  things,  and 
therefore  few  think  rightly  of  the  donations  of  the 
rich. 

The  Church  of  God  has  some  rich  members,  and 
many  poor  ones.  They  have  all  been  redeemed,  not 
with  corruptible  things  as  silver  and  gold,  but  with 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ.  They  are  under  com- 
mon and  equal  obligations  to  redeeming  grace,  and 
are  animated  by  a common  spirit  — that  of  Christ, 
without  which  they  are  none  of  his.  They  must  all 
practice  self-denial,  abound  in  every  good  work,  and 
be  faithful  as  stewards,  according  to  their  several 
talents.  The  poor  must  give  as  the  Lord  hath  pros- 
pered them,  and  the  same  law  governs  the  rich.  Let 
the  spirit  of  grateful,  warm  affection  to  Christ  prompt 
all  to  devise  liberal  things,  according  to  their  means, 
and  then  the  Church  will  prove  a blessing  in  the 
highest  degree  to  the  world. 

We  almost  envy  our  richer  brethren  their  power 
of  doing  good,  but  we  would  stand  in  doubt  of  our- 
selves if  entrusted  with  wealth  ; very  safely,  however, 


. LARGE  GIFTS. 


49 


do  we  desire  more  of  the  spirit  which  we  sometimes 
see  in  their  gifts.  Their  privilege  it  is,  to  do  good 
with  their  money  ; their  wisdom  it  is,  to  make  friends 
of  their  riches ; their  glory  it  is,  to  glorify  their 
Saviour  with  their  choicest  treasures,  like  Mary  with 
the  box  of  precious  ointment.  Of  none  of  these 
would  we  deprive  them,  but  we  would  wish  that 
others  may  “ go  and  do  likewise  ” ; and  we  would 
pray  that  all,  whether  rich  or  poor,  may  “ know  the 
grace  of  him,  who,  though  he  was  rich,  for  our  sakes  be- 
came poor,  that  we  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich.” 


XV. 

LARGE  GIFTS. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  $66,000  were  given  to  our 
cause  last  year  by  six  of  our  Christian  friends,  in 
sums  or  $5,000,  $8,000,  $10,000,  $20,000  by  two,  and 
$23,000.  Others  of  our  church  members  sent  in  gifts 
varying  from  $2,000  to  $500,  and  others  still  gave 
their  hundreds  and  smaller  sums,  relatively  as  large 
as  any.  We  bless  God  for  these  liberal  gifts,  and  still 
more  for  the  grace  given  to  the  donors.  They  were 
enabled  thereby  to  withstand  the  temptations  and 
inducements  which  render  many  persons  of  large 
means  unable  if  not  unwilling  to  aid  the  cause  of 
Christ  by  gifts  proportioned  to  their  income.  These 
donations  were  made  by  men  who  know  well  the 
3 


So  MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 

value  of  money,  and  who  also  know  the  work  of 
Christian  missions.  And  they  were  unostentatious 
no  less  than  liberal.  We  honor  the  faith  of  our 
friends.  We  commend  their  example.  We  are  sure 
that  it  was  their  privilege  to  act  as  stewards  of  the 
gracious  Proprietor ; his  approving  eye  rested  upon 
their  gifts.  These  treasures  were  well  invested. 
This  bread  was  cast  upon  the  waters  in  many  lands, 
to  be  found  sooner  or  later,  it  may  be  after  many 
days,  perhaps  long  after  we  shall  have  entered  into 
rest. 


XVI. 

GIFTS  OF  THE  POOR. 

TOUCHING  examples  of  liberal  giving  by  Christian 
friends  of  very  narrow  means  are  recorded  in  the 
acknowledgments  of  last  year’s  receipts.  These  gifts 
were  sometimes  known  only  to  the  Saviour,  some- 
times only  to  a few  sympathizing  friends ; but  rela- 
tively viewed,  they  remind  one  of  the  widow’s  two 
mites,  which  make  a farthing.  How  thankful  we 
should  feel  for  the  inspired  record  of  her  noble  gift ! 
If  some  of  our  friends  are  able  to  give  large  sums, 
others,  in  far  larger  number,  are  placed  in  moderate 
but  comfortable  circumstances,  and  their  gifts  are  the 
main  source  of  supply.  We  are  far  from  undervalu- 
ing their  liberality;  we^are  grateful  for  it,  and  recog- 


DISINTERESTEDNESS. 


Si 

nize  it  as  above  all  price,  and  as  indispensable  to  the 
progress  of  our  cause.  But,  after  all,  it  is  the  gifts 
of  the  poor  that  have  most  deeply  touched  our  feel- 
ings. A day  laborer,  for  example,  year  after  year 
gave  the  largest  donation  received  by  the  Board  from 
a strong  congregation.  His  pastor  several  times 
spoke  of  it  to  one  of  the  executive  officers,  though 
the  name  of  this  liberal  donor  was  not  to  be  men- 
tioned. In  later  years  his  circumstances  were 
improved,  and  his  gifts  were  increased  in  equal  or 
greater  degree.  Lately  this  good  man  entered  into 
his  rest.  In  the  receipts  of  last  year  there  is  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  last  gift  of  a saint  on  her  death- 
bed, relatively  very  large  in  amount  ; though  it  was 
but  a few  dollars,  it  represented  the  self-denial  and 
the  liberal  devising  for  many  years  of  one  brought 
up  in  affluence,  but  who  had  long  been  living  on  a 
very  straitened  income.  Blessed  are  the  Lord’s  poor, 
and  blessed  are  their  gifts  to  his  cause-! 


XVII. 

DISINTERESTEDNESS. 

All  persons  connected  with  the  work  of  missions 
should  be  disinterested.  No  one  should  engage  in 
this  work  “ to  make  money,”  to  better  his  worldly 
condition,  to  gain  a position  of  greater  credit  among 
his  fellow-men,  to  enjoy  comfort  or  ease.  Motives 


52 


MI S SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


of  this  kind  may  not  be  out  of  place  in  many  callings, 
but  missionaries,  secretaries,  and  all  engaged  in  efforts 
to  save  the  souls  of  the  unevangelized,  should  be  influ- 
enced supremely  by  the  Spirit  and  the  example  of  our 
blessed  Lord  in  his  ministry  among  men,  and  by  that 
of  the  eminent  apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  The  nature  and 
object  of  their  work  require  this.  The  self-denying 
gifts  of  their  Christian  brethren  for  their  support 
require  this ; very  many  of  the  donors  are  in  most 
narrow  circumstances,  and  give  what  they  could  well 
use  for  their  own  almost  necessary  comfort.  They 
shall  not  lose  their  reward  ; but  gifts  marked  by  the 
spirit  of  great  self-denial  should  be  used  with  a sacred 
economy.  This  indeed  holds  true  of  the  gifts  of  many 
persons  in  more  comfortable  circumstances.  We  have 
been  often  strongly  impressed  with  the  real  spirit  of 
self-denial  and  self-sacrifice  involved  in  gifts  each  of 
several  hundred  and  even  of  several  thousand  dollars. 
All  this  is  seen  by  the  loving  Saviour,  and  he  will 
graciously  accept  and  bless  such  efforts  to  serve  him ; 
but  not  the  less,  indeed  all  the  more,  should  such 
good  offerings  call  forth  a responsive  feeling  on  the 
part  of  those  who  are  thereby  enabled  to  serve  our 
Lord  by  direct  personal  labors  in  his  cause. 

Unevangelized  people  in  missionary  fields,  and 
irreligious  people  at  home,  seldom  rightly  under- 
stand our  missionary  aim  and  endeavors  ; but  there 
are  few  Chinese  or  Hindus  or  even  Africans  who  can 
not  understand  a disinterested  life.  The  rule  of  most 
missionary  boards,  not  referring  to  private  income  in 
any  case,  but  requiring  funds  received  by  brethren 


WORK  FOR  CHRIST. 


S3 


for  outside  services  to  be  turned  over  to  the  local 
treasury,  while  they  continue  to  live  as  missionaries 
on  the  usual  salary,  is  one  not  merely  useful  in  pro- 
tecting the  cause  of  missions  and  the  character  of 
missionaries  from  injurious  criticism,  but  it  is  in  the 
direct  line  of  these  thoughts  — it  greatly  tends  to 
maintain  and  increase  the  influence  of  the  Church’s 
laborers. 

We  aim  here  at  no  extended  statement  of  this  sub- 
ject. Our  attention  has  been  recalled  to  it  by  reading 
again  the  life  of  the  great  missionary,  who  served  our 
Lord  in  Southern  India  from  1750  to  1798.*  His 
being  so  disinterested  had  much  to  do  with  his  won- 
derful influence  among  both 'Hindus  and  Europeans. 
His  memoirs  are  a treasury  of  missionary  experience. 


XVIII. 

THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  LARGE  AND  VARIED 
WORK  FOR  CHRIST. 

The  Foreign  Missions  of  our  Church  give  its  mem- 
bers the  privilege  of  doing  a large  and  varied  work 
for  the  Lord  Jesus  in  many  countries.  We  fear  that 
this  idea  is  sometimes  overlooked.  Let  us  recall  it 
to  our  thoughts  as  we  enter  on  a new  year.  It  might 


* Memoirs  of  the  Life  and  Correspondence  of  Rev.  Christian 
Frederick  Swartz,  by  Hugh  Pearson,  D.D.  2 vols.  Second  edition, 
London.  J.  Hatchford  & Son,  1835. 


54 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


have  been  so  ordered  that  little  or  no  opportunity 
would  have  been  afforded  to  us  of  direct  labors  to 
make  our  Saviour’s  name  known  to  our  fellow-men 
in  Africa,  Syria,  Persia,  India,  Siam,  China,  Japan, 
South  America,  Mexico,  among  our  Indian  tribes,  and 
in  Europe.  Many  of  our  Christian  brethren  of  other 
denominations  do  not  enjoy  this  privilege.  We  con- 
sider it  a great  distinction  that  so  great  and  varied  a 
work  is  set  before  us.  It  is  one  which  tends  to  en- 
large our  views  of  the  world  in  which  we  live,  to  ex- 
pand our  knowledge  of  Divine  providence,  to  call 
forth  our  sympathy  for  men  of  like  passions  with  our 
own,  whose  sins  and  sorrows  are  burdens  beyond 
their  strength,  but  who  know  not  how  to  have  them 
taken  away.  From  the  high  place  in  Zion  where  we 
dwell,  we  look  far  off  to  these  lands  of  darkness,  and 
we  long  to  see  them  enlightened  from  on  high.  We 
long  to  see  our  Saviour’s  name  honored,  our  Saviour’s 
grace  received,  by  the  myriads  of  their  inhabitants. 
And  we  accept  it,  and  give  thanks  to  God  for  it,  as  a 
privilege  beyond  all  price,  that  we  may  be  co-workers 
with  our  Lord  in  giving  his  Gospel  to  these  sinful, 
suffering  people. 

If,  in  the  past,  we  have  not  rightly  valued  this 
privilege,  let  this  new  year  witness  greater  faith  and 
more  earnest  labor.  The  work  is  great  ; the  time  is 
short ; but  great  is  the  grace  offered  to  us,  and  great 
will  be  the  reward  of  faithful  service. 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES.  55 

XIX  * 

THE  HOLY  GHOST  THE  POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN 
WITNESSES. 

We  are  accustomed  to  regard  the  first  age  of  the 
Church  as  the  best.  The  piety  and  the  evangelizing 
labors  of  the  Apostles  and  first  Christians  are  consid- 
ered an  example  to  the  followers  of  Christ  in  all  sub- 
sequent ages;  but  so  far  as  the  essential  things  — the 
things  essential  to  the  piety  and  the  usefulness  of  the 
Church  — are  concerned,  its  members  now  and  its 
members  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles  stand  on  the 
same  footing.  Their  circumstances  and  ours  differ  in 
some  respects,  but  both  they  and  we  have  life  and 
ever  live  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  are  moved  by  the 
same  Spirit,  are  called  to  the  same  work,  and  look  for 
the  same  reward.  If  then  the  piety  and  the  works  of 
modern  Christians  are  not  Apostolic,  what  shall  we 
say?  How  shall  we  account  for  our  falling  so  far 
short  of  their  example  ? And  how  shall  we  be  en- 
abled to  reach  their  noble  standard  ? We  have  the 
answer,  “ Ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  come  upon  you  ; and  ye  shall  be  witnesses 
unto  me  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in 
Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth.” 

This  verse  sets  before  us  the  power  and  the  work 
of  the  followers  of  Christ  in  all  ages  to  the  end  of 
time.  It  forms  a part  of  our  Lord’s  words  to  his  dis- 
ciples just  before  his  ascension.  He  had  corrected 


* In  St.  Louis,  May  17,  1B66. 


MIS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


5* 

their  error  in  looking  for  an  earthly,  Jewish  kingdom, 
and  he  declared  to  them  that  they  were  to  receive  a 
divine  power,  and  to  do  a divine  work ; and  then, 
“when  he  had  spoken  these  things” — these  very 
words — “ while  they  beheld,  he  was  taken  up  ; and  a 
cloud  received  him  out  of  their  sight.”  They  stood 
“gazing  up  into  heaven,”  trying  to  look  through  the 
cloud  to  see  their  friend  and  Saviour  as  he  passed 
above  the  skies.  And  for  them  his  words  would  ever 
have  the  deepest  personal  interest.  They  are  also 
applicable  to  all  the  disciples  of  Christ.  They  were 
spoken  at  the  end  of  one  epoch  and  the  beginning  of 
another.  The  Hebrew  times  were  now  to  cease;  the 
world-wide  system  of  the  Gospel  was  now  to  be  set 
up.  These  words  declared  the  speedy  manifestation 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  his  energy  was  to  be  the 
power  of  the  disciples,  even  “the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  coming  upon  them  ” ; and  then  they  should  go 
forth  to  their  great  work  for  life  and  enter  upon  their 
high  destiny,  as  witnesses  unto  Christ,  “both  in  Jeru- 
salem, and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.”  The  circumstances 
under  which  these  words  were  spoken,  their  deep  im- 
port, and  their  vast  range,  commend  them  to  our  ear- 
nest study 

I.  No  formal  statement  of  the  faith  of  the  Church 
concerning  the  Holy  Ghost  is  here  called  for.  We 
remind  ourselves  of  his  character  as  God  equal  with 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  of  his  office  in  the  work 
of  salvation — that  of  applying  unto  men  the  benefits 
of  redemption.  He  is  the  person  of  the  Trinity 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES. 


57 


through  whose  agency  God  exerts  his  gracious  power 
on  the  hearts  of  men.  That  his  power  was  obtained 
for  us  by  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  takes  of  the  things  of 
Christ  and  shows  them  unto  us,  that  in  all  his  work 
he  glorifies  Christ,  greatly  increases  our  obligation  to 
our  blessed  Saviour,  but  does  not  diminish  our  in- 
debtedness to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

It  is  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  given  to  the 
disciples  for  a particular  purpose— that  of  their  being 
witnesses  unto  Christ — that  must  chiefly  engage  our 
attention.  Three  things  may  be  specified  in  this 
power— Miracles  and  Tongues,  New  Life,  and  Con- 
version. 

i.  The  power  of  working  miracles  and  of  speaking 
with  unknown  tongues  was  given  to  accredit  the 
Apostles  and  other  Christian  teachers,  as  they  went 
forth  to  proclaim  their  divine  message.  Nothing 
could  have  better  answered  this  purpose.  Here  was 
evidently  the  presence  of  God  ; no  human  agency 
could  produce  such  results  as  these.  “ Parthians,  and 
Medes,  and  Elamites,  and  the  dwellers  in  Mesopota- 
mia,” and  all  the  rest,  heard  in  their  own  tongues 
“the  wonderful  works  of  God,”  spoken  by  a few  plain, 
uneducated  men,  mostly  from  Galilee.  And  soon 
after  this,  the  lame  man,  who  had  so  long  asked  alms 
at  the  beautiful  gate  of  the  temple,  was  seen  walking, 
and  leaping,  and  praising  God,  and  they  were  filled 
with  amazement.  And  so  it  was  in  many  examples  ; 
the  religion  of  Christ  was  shown  to  be  of  God  by  the 
clearest  proofs.  This  was  accomplished  during  a 
number  of  years,  a period  long  enough  to  show  con- 


58 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


clusively  the  divine  character  of  this  new  religion — 
long  enough  to  establish  facts  beyond  question  or 
cavil  in  proof  of  the  divine  agency  now  at  work 
amongst  men.  These  facts  once  established,  capa- 
ble of  proof,  a part  of  history,  it  was  then  needless 
to  continue  in  the  Church  the  exercise  of  these  su- 
pernatural gifts,  and  they  were  gradually  withdrawn. 
In  their  communication,  in  their  remarkable  effect  on 
the  minds  of  men,  in  their  record  in  sacred  history ; 
in  a word,  in  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  on  the  dis- 
ciples on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  we  find  a striking  part 
of  the  evidence  on  which  our  faith  in  the  Gospel 
rests,  and  a not  less  striking  fulfilment  of  the  promise 
of  our  Lord  to  the  disciples  that  they  should  be 
clothed  with  power,  even  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  coming  upon  them. 

2.  This  promise  of  power  is  not  to  be  understood 
as  restricted  to  the  day  of  Pentecost,  nor  to  the  im- 
parting of  supernatural  gifts  : its  gracious  presence, 
in  their  own  souls,  was  signally  manifested  on  that 
notable  day,  and  to  the  end  of  their  lives. 

They  were  made  new  men  when  this  power  came 
upon  them.  Under  the  teaching  and  example  of  our 
Saviour  himself,  they  had  been  dull  of  apprehension, 
slow  to  believe,  and  to  the  last  too  much  governed 
by  worldly  views  ; they  had  contended  which  of  them 
should  be  the  greatest,  and  had  desired  the  chief 
places  in  his  kingdom  as  an  earthly  kingdom  ; but 
all  this  was  now  to  disappear.  These  doubting,  un- 
believing men  were  to  become  strong  in  the  faith, 
giving  glory  to  God.  These  timid  disciples  were  to 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES. 


59 


become  bold  and  fearless  men  ; soon  they  would  be 
seen  going  forth  from  their  retired  upper  room,  tak- 
ing their  stand  in  public  places,  preaching  the  most 
unwelcome  doctrines,  fulfilling  their  ministry  in  the 
face  of  all  opposition,  defying  all  danger — and  where- 
fore ? Because  the  Spirit  of  God  would,  powerfully 
influence  their  hearts,  cause  them  to  understand 
divine  truth  clearly,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ 
shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  as  the  great  motive  of 
their  lives.  Thus  they  became  indifferent  to  the 
praise  or  the  censure  of  men  ; they  counted  nothing 
too  costly  to  be  laid  on  the  altar  of  God  ; they  made 
up  their  minds  to  endure  hardship,  reproach,  perse- 
cution, imprisonment,  scourging,  martyrdom  ; and 
they  went  forward  to  the  end,  earnest,  godly,  Christ- 
like  men — such  men  as  were  moved  by  divine  power. 
If  they  had  been  fond  of  ease  and  comfort,  half 
spiritual  and  half  secular  in  their  aims,  trying  to 
serve  God  and  Mammon,  how  different  would  have 
been  their  course,  how  little  their  influence  and  use- 
fulness ! There  would  then  have  been  no  martyrdom 
of  Stephen,  no  burning  life  of  Paul,  no  banishment 
of  the  beloved  John,  no  setting  up  of  the  kingdom 
which  is  not  of  this  world,  no  glorifying  of  that 
blessed  name  given  among  men  whereby  only  sinners 
can  be  saved. 

3.  The  Holy  Ghost  converts  the  souls  of  men  in 
connection  with  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel. 

So  it  is  declared  in  Isaiah,  “ I will  pour  my  Spirit 
upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon  thine  offspring  ” ; 
and  then  as  the  immediate  result,  “ they  shall  spring 


6o 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


up  as  among  the  grass,  as  willows  by  the  water- 
courses.” A beautiful  image  to  describe  the  life  and 
fruitfulness  produced  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  hearts 
of  men,  even  as  we  have  often  seen  in  our  mead- 
ows the  course  of  some  little  stream  marked  by  the 
greener  grass  and  the  graceful  willows  which  fringe 
its  banks.  The  apostle  cites  the  prophecy  of  Joel 
ii.  32,  as  fulfilled  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  Our  Lord 
himself  speaks  of  the  presence  of  the  Spirit  as  if  the 
work  of  salvation  were  waiting  for  and  depending  on 
his  power ; it  was  expedient  that  he  should  go  away, 
in  order  that  the  Comforter  might  come.  For  three 
long  years  had  our  blessed  Saviour  taught  the  people, 
speaking  as  no  man  ever  spake,  and  yet  but  a few 
hundred  persons  became  his  followers  ; but  when  the 
Holy_Spirit  was  given,  three  thousand  souls  were  con- 
verted under  a single  sermon  of  one  of  his  disciples, 
and  thenceforward  great  was  the  success  of  the 
preachers  of  the  Gospel.  With  his  power,  their 
ministry  is  successful ; without  it  Paul  may  plant 
and  Apollos  may  water  in  vain.  The  prophecy  of 
Joel  warrants  the  highest  hopes  of  the  Church  in  all 
coming  years.  How  easily  may  large  multitudes  of 
men  be  converted  in  a very  short  time  ! How  surely 
may  we  see  a nation  born  in  a day  ! Both  Scripture 
and  our  own  observation  encourage  us  to  expect 
wonderful  success  in  all  scriptural  efforts  for  the  sal- 
vation of  men.  Multitudes  were  converted  at  Jerusa- 
lem soon  after  our  Lord’s  ascension.  And  have  we 
not  seen  hundreds,  yea,  thousands,  of  souls  saved  in 
the  islands  of  the  seas,  among  the  Karens  in  Burmah, 


PO  WER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES. 


61 


and  in  other  missionary  fields,  in  a few  short  years ! 
Have  we  not  seen  examples  of  this  in  our  own  land, 
in  many  places,  when  the  Spirit  has  been  poured  out 
from  on  high,  when  ministers  have  preached  with 
power,  when  whole  congregations  have  been  moved 
as  the  trees  of  the  forest  by  a mighty  wind,  and  when 
scores  and  hundreds  have  been  added  to  the  Church 
of  such  as  shall  be  saved ! So  it  shall  be  in  all  lands. 
Before  the  preaching  of  the  Word,  and  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  ignorance,  prejudice,  worldliness, 
and  selfishness,  shall  give  way  as  mists  and  clouds 
before  the  sun.  Paganism,  Mohammedanism,  Rit- 
ualism, Rationalism,  shall  all  be  overcome,  and  the 
kingdom  of  God  which  is  righteousness,  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  shall  extend  from  sea  to  sea, 
and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.  The 
Lord  hasten  it  in  his  time  ! 

II.  The  work  to  be  done  by  the  disciples  is  next 
set  forth, — they  were  to  be  witnesses  unto  Christ,  at 
home  and  abroad. 

A witness  is  one  who  is  able  to  speak  from  personal 
knowledge,  and  not  from  hearsay ; and  he  is  one  who 
must  speak  the  truth  with  fidelity.  If  either  per- 
sonal knowledge  or  truth  is  wanting,  his  testimony 
would  have  no  v^lue.  The  disciples  must  bear  wit- 
ness, ist,  to  the  person  and  character  of  Christ ; 2d, 
to  his  doctrines  or  the  truth  revealed  by  him  ; and 
3d,  to  his  truth  as  the  means  employed  in  the  con- 
version of  the  world. 

1.  The  first  disciples  were  literally  eye-witnesses  of 
the  life  and  character  of  Christ.  Some  of  them  were 


62 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


chosen  to  be  apostles  for  the  distinctive  reason,  that 
they  had  seen  the  Lord  Jesus  ; and  as  only  those  who 
had  actually  • seen  him  could  be  apostles,  they  can 
have  no  successors  in  that  high  office.  But  all  the 
disciples,  then  and  ever  since,  could  be  witnesses 
unto  Christ  in  the  sense  of  their  experimental  knowl- 
edge of  his  grace.  They  can  speak  from  their  heart- 
felt conviction  of  their  own  sinful,  guilty,  helpless, 
and  perishing  situation,  until  Christ  is  revealed  unto 
them  by  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  Lamb  of  God  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  and  they  are  en- 
abled to  receive  him  in  his  person  and  his  offices  as 
their  Redeemer.  They  can  now  bear  witness  to  him 
as  one  who  is  precious  unto  them  that  believe,  as  one 
altogether  lovely,  even  the  chief  among  ten  thousand, 
as  one  worthy  of  the  highest  ascriptions  of  praise.  It 
is  their  great  privilege,  and  it  is  almost  essential  to 
their  comfort,  if  not  to  their  usefulness,  in  their 
efforts  to  promote  his  cause,  that  they  should  feel 
that  they  are  related  to  Christ  by  covenant,  really 
united  to  him  in  close  and  sacred  bonds.  Their 
prayers  will  then  be  addressed  to  no  shadowy,  far- 
off,  ideal  personage,  but  to  him  whom  they  regard  as 
ever  present  with  them  ; their  whole  ministry  will  be 
performed  as  under  the  eye  of  their  blessed  Lord. 
By  communion  with  him,  they  will  be  strengthened 
for  every  duty,  supported  under  every  trial,  delivered 
from  the  fear  of  man,  and  enabled  to  be  faithful  even 
until  death.  They  will  not  preach  or  speak  of  a Sav- 
iour unknown  to  themselves,  nor  testify  of  grace 
which  they  have  not  received,  nor  rest  in  formal  ex- 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES.  63 


ternal  services  performed  according  to  some  prescribed 
order ; but  they  will  speak  as  those  who  have  been 
with  Jesus.  And  though  all  men  should  forsake  him, 
they  will  say,  “ Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ? Thou 
hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  And  we  believe  and 
are  sure  that  thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  liv- 
ing God.” 

2.  The  disciples  are  witnesses  unto  the  truth  as  re- 
vealed by  Christ.  All  that  he  taught  and  left  on 
record  in  the  Scriptures  they  receive  as  of  the  highest 
authority,  as  binding  on  the  conscience,  and  as  to  be 
always  upheld  and  maintained  by  them.  There  are 
things  hard  to  be  understood  in  the  Bible,  and  there 
are  things  of  deep  mystery  far  exceeding  the  limits 
of  human  reason,  which  the  disciples  do  not  profess 
to  comprehend ; yet  to  the  truth  of  these  things  they 
can  bear  testimony,  because  contained  in  a Book  di- 
vinely attested,  because  they  can  readily  believe  that 
profound  mysteries  to  our  feeble  intellect  are  plain 
and  clear  to  the  infinite  mind  of  God,  and  because 
these  deep-truths  often  find  their  echo  in  their  inmost 
conscience.  They  can  bear  witness  to  the  truth  of 
the  whole  Inspired  Record,  even  if  they  do  not  un- 
derstand some  parts  of  it,  just  as  many  a witness  in  a 
court  of  justice  gives  his  testimony  to  facts  of  which 
he  is  sure,  though  he  may  not  understand  their  bear- 
ing on  the  subject,  nor  see  how  they  are  to  affect  the 
cause  under  trial. 

Besides  giving  their  testimony  as  individuals,  each 
in  his  place  and  lot,  according  to  his  gifts  and  grace, 
the  disciples  of  Christ  must  bear  witness  unto  his 


64 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


truth  when  associated  together  as  members  of  the 
Church.  To  preserve  the  truth  is  one  of  the  purposes 
for  which  the  Church  was  established.  The  Old  Testa- 
ment Church  preserved  the  truth  concerning  the  one 
living  and  true  God  in  the  midst  of  a world  given  to 
idolatry.  The  New  Testament  Church  has  this  also 
as  one  of  its  main  designs  ; it  is  to  be  “ the  pillar  and 
ground  of  the  truth  ” ; it  is  to  be  a witness  for  all  the 
truth  that  God  has  revealed,  no  matter  how  it  may 
be  opposed  or  perverted.  The  Creeds  and  Confes- 
sions of  the  Church  have  the  maintaining  and  pre- 
serving of  the  truth  as  one  of  their  main  purposes. 
Subscription  and  assent  to  these  doctrinal  standards 
is  one  way  of  upholding  the  truth.  The  venerable 
Confession  of  Faith  in  which  we  glory  is  chiefly 
prized  by  us  for  its  clear  and  admirable  statement 
of  the  truth  as  contained  in  Holy  Scripture.  God 
will  honor  the  Church  that  puts  honor  on  his  truth 
and  cause.  I doubt  not  that  one  of  the  two  great  rea- 
sons of  the  wonderful  prosperity  of  our  Church  in 
the  last  thirty  years  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact,  that  as 
a Church  we  were  faithful  to  God’s  truth.  And  in 
whatever  is  done,  or  not  done,  looking  in  the  direc- 
tion of  organic  union  with  other  bodies  of  Christians, 
the  truth  and  our  profession  of  it  must  be  held  sacred 
by  us,  and  not  be  in  the  least  degree  compromised,  if 
we  would  continue  to  enjoy  the  blessing  of  the  God 
of  truth. 

This  testimony  should  have  reference  to  the  clear- 
ness with  which  divine  truths  are  revealed,  rather 
than  to  any  difference  that  may  exist  as  to  the  impor- 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES.  65 


tance  of  these  truths.  It  requires  an  architect  to  tell 
what  is  essential  to  a grand  edifice  and  what  is  non- 
essential  ; so  we  are  poor  judges  of  the  relative  im- 
portance of  the  truths  of  revelation.  We  shall  find 
it  to  be  a safe  and  good  rule,  while  we  maintain  all 
the  truths  of  the  Bible,  to  give  to  each  that  place 
which  it  seems  to  occupy  on  the  sacred  page.  It  is 
not  enough  to  dwell  on  a few  leading  truths.  The 
Bible  is  our  text-book,  and  the  world  our  congrega- 
tion ; to  all  men,  of  every  nation,  class,  and  condi- 
tion ; to  all  subjects  that  have  a right  or  a wrong  side 
in  a religious  or  moral  aspect,  the  testimony  of  the 
disciples  must  have  due  reference.  We  can  admit  no 
theory  of  the  province  of  the  pulpit,  nor  of  the  sphere 
of  a Christian  man’s  duty,  which  would  deprive  this 
testimony  of  its  power  as  against  what  is  morally 
wrong.  If  what  is  wrong  seeks  to  entrench  itself 
behind  public  legislation,  as  in  the  case  of  Sabbath 
mails  or  lotteries,  or  behind  party  political  action,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  oppression  of  a weaker  race,  or  be- 
hind popular  movements  ending  in  riot  or  rebellion 
against  the  powers  that  be,  the  wrong  must  not  be 
let  alone.  We  have  reason  to  fear  that  the  withhold- 
ing of  this  testimony,  in  too  many  instances,  results 
in  the  profaning  of  God’s  holy  name  and  day,  the  de- 
nial of  justice  to  the  colored  races  of  this  country — 
the  Indian,  the  Negro,  and  of  late  the  Chinese,  and 
the  overthrow  of  those  ideas  of  reverence  for  law  and 
subjection  to  authority,  which  are  essential  to  the 
welfare  both  of  the  Church  and  the  State,  especially 
on  our  theory  of  public  affairs.  For  with  us  the  law  is 


66 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


maintained  more  by  the  power  of  conscience  than  by 
standing  military  force,  and  to  the  right  exercise  of 
conscience  nothing  is  more  needful  than  Christian 
witnessing  unto  the  truth,  or  at  any  rate  nothing  but 
the  truth  itself. 

We  plead  for  no  political  action  by  the  Church  or 
by  her  courts ; we  plead  for  no  improper  meddling 
with  the  things  of  Caesar  by  the  subjects  of  Christ’s 
kingdom — for  no  departure  from  the  themes  of  the 
Bible,  for  no  violation  of  the  proprieties  of  the  house 
of  God,  for  no  forsaking  of  the  concerns  of  eternity. 
Our  church  courts  are  very  properly  debarred  by  our 
Standards — chap.  xxxi. — from  taking  any  part  in  the 
administration  of  the  State,  except  as  requested ; in 
this  country  the  Church  and  the  State  are  not  united, 
and  church  courts  have  here  no  civil  duties  such  as 
devolve  on  the  spiritual  peers  of  the  British  House  of 
Lords,  and  such  as  ambitious  prelates  in  Scotland 
would  gladly  have  taken  upon  them,  in  the  age  when 
our  Confession  was  reconstructed  from  the  Articles 
of  Faith  which  came  down  from  the  days  of  the 
Apostles.  Thankful  indeed  are  we  for  the  separation 
of  the  Church  of  this  land  from  the  State ; but  let  us 
guard  against  the  great  mistake  of  thinking  that  the 
Church  has  therefore  no  duty  to  perform  of  giving 
her  testimony  against  iniquity  because  it  may  be 
prevalent  in  high  places. 

In  our  country  our  greatest  danger  is  not  that 
of  too  much  interference  with  public  affairs  in  the 
way  of  testifying  against  what  is  wrong  by  the  Church 
and  by  Christian  people.  It  is  only  too  easy  to  let 


PO  VVER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES.  67 


what  is  wrong  alone.  It  accords  too  readily  with  our 
willingness  to  avoid  the  cross ; and  so  the  voice  of 
our  testimony  is  kept  back,  or  lowered  down  to  an 
inaudible  whisper.  Our  greatest  danger  in  this  land 
consists  in  our  not  holding  forth  these  revealed  truths 
which  best  regulate  both  governors  and  people,  which 
assert  the  supreme  authority  of  God,  the  sacredness 
of  an  oath,  the  duty  of  doing  that  which  is  just  and 
equal  to  all  men,  the  need  of  consideration  for  their 
less  favored  fellow-men  by  the  rich,  the  need  of  con- 
tentment and  patience  by  the  poor,  the  interests  of 
the  judgment  to  come  and  the  retributions  of  eterni- 
ty. All  these  inspired  teachings  we  are  to  testify 
not  merely  in  the  abstract,  but  in  their  application  to 
all  such  moral  wrongs  as  from  time  to  time  seek  pub- 
lic acknowledgment.  Our  testimony  should  certainly 
be  impersonal— never  singling  out  particular  persons 
in  a congregation  for  public  rebuke ; and  it  should 
also  be  kept  free  as  far  as  possible  from  connection 
with  any  political  party  movements,  so  that  all  men 
should  see  that  it  is  prompted  by  fidelity  to  the  truth 
as  contained  in  Holy  Scripture.  The  witnesses  unto 
Christ  should  exercise  their  best  judgment  as  to  the 
time  and  manner  of  giving  their  testimony  against 
what  is  evil.  It  may  even  be  necessary  for  them  to 
be  silent  sometimes,  as  our  blessed  Lord  was  before 
his  unjust  judges,  but  like  him  his  humble  disciples 
will  always  be  faithful  to  their  testimony ; and  when 
called  to  do  so  by  Providence  they  will  declare  the 
whole  counsel  of  God.  This  must  be  done  in  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  which  was  eminently  loving  and 


68 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


meek.  He  severely  censured  the  hypocrisy  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  speaking  as  he  only  could  by 
authority  as  the  omniscient  judge;  but  yet  it  was  in 
deep  compassion  even  for  them.  Toward  his  pro- 
fessed followers,  when  in  error  or  even  in  great  faults, 
he  was  always  considerate  and  forbearing — not  spar- 
ing rebuke,  yet  not  putting  the  worst  construction  on 
their  misconduct,  but  always  the  best  and  the  most 
charitable. 

There  are  times  when  the  testimony  of  the  disci- 
ples, touching  matters  of  public  interest  and  yet  hav- 
ing a religious  side,  becomes  specially  important ; 
such  times  particularly  of  perplexity,  distress,  and 
shaking  among  men,  as  we  have  lately  seen  in  this 
country.  In  giving  our  testimony  through  these 
dreadful  years  to  the  duty  of  rendering  obedience  to 
the  powers  that  be — the  powers  that  are  over  us, 
whatever  political  opinions  we  may  entertain  of  their 
character,  we  fulfil  a sacred  duty.  A right  under- 
standing of  this  duty  would  prevent  all  civil  war  in 
such  a Christian  country  as  ours.  Indeed  we  can  not 
but  deeply  feel  that  if  the  people  of  God  in  this  land 
had  but  understood  the  full  meaning  of  this  duty— 
which  has  respect  to  the  powers  that  be  in  actual  ex- 
istence, whatever  may  be  the  theory  of  their  existence 
— no  more  countenance  would  have  been  given  to 
any  efforts  to  overthrow  the  Government  which  was 
so  long  in  the  exercise  of  authority  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  than  would  be  given  by  our  missionaries  to 
a rebellion  against  the  Emperor  of  China  or  the  King 
of  Siam. 


PO  WER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES.  69 


This  whole  matter  is  to  be  viewed  in  the  light  of 
testimony  against  what  is  wrong.  And  in  presenting 
these  views,  we  but  follow  the  highest  examples.  We 
only  take  such  lawful  action  as  was  taken  by  the  no- 
ble men  who  settled  our  Church  standards — such 
men  as  Witherspoon,  Samuel  Davies,  and  many  oth- 
ers ; and  what  is  far  more,  we  but  follow  the  example 
of  our  blessed  Lord  and  the  Apostles.  Often  do  our 
Saviour’s  instructions  refer  directly  to  public  matters, 
viewed  in  their  religious  or  moral  aspects ; as  when 
in  the  face  of  the  rulers  of  the  Jews  he  vindicated  the 
law  of  marriage,  placed  the  right  of  divorce  on  its 
true  ground,  asserted  the  just  liberty  of  his  disciples 
concerning  works  of  necessity  on  the  Sabbath,  taught 
the  duty  of  obedience  even  to  an  oppressive  Govern- 
ment by  the  payment  of  taxes — all  of  which  were  not 
merely  matters  of  religion,  but  were  also  matters  of 
party  conflict  or  of  public  law.  And  so  of  the  Apos- 
tles. The  Apostle  Paul’s  noble  declaration,  that  he 
would  know  nothing  among  the  Corinthians  but 
Christ  and  him  crucified,  and  everything  in  his  two 
Epistles  to  their  church  perfectly  agree ; and  yet 
how  many  matters  of  public  interest  are  discussed  by 
his  eloquent  pen  ! How  many-sided  were  his  lessons, 
how  often  he  referred  to  matters  that  had  secular 
bearings,  that  were  subjects  of  partisan  discussion, 
and  even  to  such  as  were  connected  with  civil  juris- 
diction ; and  this  sometimes  not  as  theoretical  teach- 
ing, but  as  dealing  with  practical  cases.  In  all,  his 
great  and  sole  object  was  to  glorify  Christ ; let  this 
be  our  sole  aim  whenever  we  feel  called  to  teach  or 


70 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


to  speak  of  matters  that  are  connected  with  the  Gov- 
ernment, or  with  party  movements,  or  with  secular 
interests.  Then,  as  witnesses  unto  Christ,  we  may 
hope  that  our  testimony  will  accomplish  its  proper 
end  and  purpose.  . 

3.  The  disciples  are  to  be  witnesses  unto  Christ,  in 
their  making  his  Gospel  kncftvn  unto  all  men.  The 
missionary  aspect  of  their  testimony  is  the  one  chiefly 
presented  to  us.  Their  testimony  was  to  be  evangel- 
istic. Evidently  the  first  disciples,  as  soon  as  their 
minds  were  enlightened  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  under- 
stood the  matter  just  in  this  sense,  and  they  went 
forth  to  deliver  their  testimony  as  a message  of  love 
and  mercy  to  lost  men. 

It  was  indeed  a joyful  testimony.  Its  primary 
meaning  was  undoubtedly  glad  tidings  to  all  people. 
It  was  not  meant  to  be  chiefly  a testimony  against  a 
sinful  world.  The  verse  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew, 
ch.  xxiv.  14,  which  speaks  of  the  Gospel  being  preach- 
ed “ for  a witness  ” to  the  nations,  does  not  mean  a 
testimony  against  them,  any  more  than  the  same 
word  “ witness  ” in  Isaiah  lv.  4,  when  applied  to  our 
blessed  Lord,  is  to  be  understood  as  a title  of  sever- 
ity ; on  the  contrary,  it  is  a title  given  to  our  Lord 
in  one  of  the  finest  Gospel  passages  to  be  found  in  the 
writings  of  the  evangelical  prophet.  If  the  Gospel 
is  rejected  by  men,  it  does  become  a witness  against 
them — hence  greatly  increasing  their  guilt  and  misery ; 
but  we  must  keep  in  view  its  primaiy  and  chief  de- 
sign, as  the  expression  of  the  infinite  love  and  mercy 
of  God  to  our  lost  world.  Here  is  pardon  for  the 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES. 


7i 


guilty;  here  is  peace  with  God  ; here  is  everlasting 
life ; here  is  all  that  is  needed  for  the  complete  salva- 
tion of  every  lost  sinner,  through  the  atoning  death 
aod  the  finished  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ.  Here 
are  all  these  blessings  offered  to  sinful  men  in 
every  land  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  offered  on 
the  simplest  terms  possible — without  money  and 
without  price.  This  is  the  good  news  which  the  dis- 
ciples were  to  testify  unto  every  creature,  speaking 
from  their  own  personal  experience  of  this  blessed 
Gospel,  and  with  all  fidelity  as  witnesses  to  its  un- 
speakable importance. 

And  so  the  disciples  went  forth.  They  went  forth, 
no  doubt,  in  faith  and  hope,  expecting  great  results 
to  follow  their  testimony.  They  were  at  first  but  a 
mere  handful — but  a little  flock — and  their  course  in 
the  world  was  to  be  marked  by  tribulation  and  perse- 
cution. Our  Lord  taught  them  to  expect  this,  but 
he  also  taught  them  to  expect  a time  of  triumph  for 
the  Gospel.  Its  principles  would  prevail,  under  their 
preaching  made  effectual  to  salvation  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  darkness  would  give  way,  the 
idols  be  overthrown,  the  kingdom  of  Christ  be  estab- 
lished, the  world  for  a thousand  years  be  as  the  gar- 
den of  the  Lord.  The  disciples  went  forth  to  a 
sacred  duty,  not  as  a task,  not  as  sent  to  condemn  their 
fellow-men,  but  cheered  by  the  hope  of  the  greatest 
success.  They  might  not  live  to  see  it,  but  it  would 
surely  come,  and  their  faithful  labors  would  speed  its 
coming. 

Some  good  men  do  not  accept  these  views, — do  not 


7 2 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


expect  this  result.  They  even  venture  to  teach  that 
it  is  but  an  amiable  delusion  to  expect  the  conversion 
of  the  world  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  that  it 
was  never  intended  to  accomplish  any  such  purpose  ; 
but  that  the  Church  is  always  to  be  small,  limited, 
and  imperfect,  until  the  personal  coming  of  our 
blessed  Lord  ; and  then,  but  not  till  then,  we  shall 
see  the  world  converted.  The  whole  New  Testa- 
ment record  has  been  appealed  to,  in  order  to  prove 
that  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  in  “ the  present 
dispensation,”  as  they  term  it,  will  not  convert  the 
world. 

There  are  weighty,  and  apparently  conclusive  argu- 
ments against  this  theory,  but  they  can  not  be  fully 
considered  here.  It  is  a theory  which  seems  to  be 
based  on  erroneous  interpretations  of  the  Scriptures, 
in  certain  respects.  These  must  be  passed  over.  It 
is  a theory,  moreover,  which  does  not  agree  with 
other  parts  of  Scripture,  which  teach  a very  different 
doctrine.  Such  is  the  declaration  of  God’s  unspeak- 
able love  to  the  world,  John  iii.  1 6, — confining  our 
citations  to  the  New  Testament.  This  declaration  is 
so  comprehensive  that  we  can  not  see  how  the  em- 
bracing of  Christ  by  a small  fraction  of  the  human 
family,  can  be  regarded  as  at  all  corresponding  with 
its  fulness  and  freeness.  Such  also  is  our  Lord’s 
last  commandment,  Matt,  xxviii.  ig,  20.  We  can  not 
believe  that  this  commandment  contemplates  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  as  a witness  against  men  ; it  was  to 
be  good  news,  the  best  news  to  every  lost  sinner  that 
he  can  ever  hear  ; nor  can  we  believe  that  our  blessed 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES. 


73 


Lord,  clothed  as  he  is  with  all  power  in  heaven  and 
in  earth,  would  go  forth  everywhere  with  his  disciples 
who  obey  this  commandment,  only  to  see  their  labors 
ending  all  in  vain,  and  himself  almost  universally 
rejected.  Moreover,  we  see  the  aged  Simeon,  Luke 
ii.  30-32,  rejoicing  in  the  predicted  and  now  fulfilled 
salvation,  “ prepared  before  the  face  of  all  people,  a 
light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles.”  We  see  John  the 
Baptist  proclaiming  the  fulfilment  of  a similar  pre- 
diction, Luke  iii.  4-6.  We  listen  with  mingled  feel- 
ings of  sorrow  and  hope  to  our  blessed  Lord’s  words : 
“ And  I,  if  I be  lifted  up,  will  draw  all  men  unto 
me,”  John  xii.  32.  We  see  the  same  truth  in  its 
earlier  process  of  fulfilment,  in  the  parables  of  the 
grain  of  mustard  seed  and  the  leaven  hid  in  the  meal, 
Matt.  xiii.  31-33.  We  learn  the  same  truth,  in  its 
manifested  and  regal  glory,  in  the  numerous  texts 
which  speak  of  the  gracious  effects  of  the  Gospel, 
triumphing  as  a religion  in  its  present  administration, 
under  the  idea  of  a kingdom,  for  whose  coming  we 
are  taught  to  pray,  Matt.  vi.  10.  We  are  taught 
the  same  view  by  some  of  the  wonderful  things  in 
the  Book  of  Revelation  — especially  the  binding  of 
Satan  for  a thousand  years.  If  we  measure  these  by 
a common  prophetic  standard,  we  may  look  forward 
to  a period  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand 
years,  during  which  our  Lord’s  reign  of  righteousness 
in  the  hearts  of  men  shall  make  this  world  a paradise, 
and  nobly  vindicate  the  power  of  the  Gospel,  as  now 
preached  among  men,  as  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation.  These  are  New  Testa- 
4 


74 


MJSSIONA R Y PAPERS. 


ment  teachings,  which  show  that  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  is  no  fruitless  means  of  the  conversion  of 
the  world  ; but  if  the  New  Testament  were  silent  on 
the  subject,  as  it  is  nearly  so  on  some  other  commonly 
received  parts  of  Christian  faith,  we  should  still  find 
ample  warrant  for  our  hopes  of  the  conversion  of  the 
world  in  the  numerous  predictions  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. One  such  prophecy,  out  of  scores  that  might 
be  cited,  “ The  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea,”  Isa.  xi.  9, 
ought  to  be  deemed  conclusive. 

There  are  two  other  considerations  even  more  con- 
clusive— one  positive,  the  other  negative,  and  both 
clearly  revealed.  Positively,  the  work  of  conversion, 
as  we  have  already  seen,  is  the  work  of  God,  the  Holy 
Ghost.  We  are  living  under  the  dispensation  of  the 
Spirit.  Our  Lord  himself  repeatedly  referred  to  his 
agency  in  the  work  of  conversion.  We  have  unlim- 
ited promises  of  his  intervention  in  answer  to  prayer. 
We  need  not  pursue  this  consideration.  Let  the 
Church  but  honor  the  Spirit  as  the  Father  and  the 
Son  are  honored  ; let  the  people  of  God  believe  in 
him,  seek  his  power,  expect  his  presence,  and  who 
shall  say  that  the  greatest  results  shall  not  be  speedily 
achieved  ? And  let  every  humble  disciple  beware  of 
any  theory  of  unfulfilled  Scripture  that  would  even 
seem  to  lessen  or  disparage  the  agency  of  the  Spirit 
in  the  conversion  of  the  world. 

The  negative  consideration  is  not  less  decisive — 
the  personal  coming  of  our  blessed  Lord  is  not  re- 
vealed to  us  in  Scripture  as  a means  of  the  conver- 


/ 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES.  75 

sion  of  men.  We  humbly  trust  that  our  blessed 
Saviour’s  visible  and  personal  appearing  will  be  a 
joyful  event  to  us,  whenever  he  shall  come  ; but  as 
we  read  the  Scriptures,  they  furnish  no  proof  at  all 
that  he  is  ever  to  take  the  work  of  conversion  out  of 
the  hands  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Our  Lord’s  coming 
is  spoken  of  in  three  senses  quite  distinct,  but  all 
worthy  of  himself  : (1),  by  his  Providence,  as  when 
he  came  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  Matt.  xxiv.  34;  and 
so  he  comes  in  the  wonderful  course  of  his  Provi- 
dence to  raise  up  and  cast  down  kingdoms  and  na- 
tions, and  to  be  ever  with-  his  own  people,  so  that 
they  often  hear  his  voice  saying,  “ Fear  not,  it  is  I ” ; 
and  in  the  hour  of  their  departure  from  this  life  they 
find  him  present  with  them  to  give  them  all  needed 
grace,  and  an  abundant  entrance  into  his  everlasting 
kingdom.  (2),  He  comes  by  his  Spirit  into  the  wor- 
shipping assemblies  of  his  people ; even  though  but 
two  or  three  of  them  meet  together  in  his  name,  he 
will  make  the  third  or  fourth,  Matt,  xviii.  20  ; and  so 
he  comes  wherever  the  Spirit  of  grace  is  carrying  on 
his  peculiar  and  saving  work  among  men.  And  (3) 
he  will  come  visibly  and  personally,  his  second  ap- 
pearing in  visible  and  personal  form,  but  it  will  be 
when  he  comes  as  a Judge,  Matt.  xxv.  31-46;  2 
Thess.  ii.  7-10.  The  Shorter  Catechism  well  ex- 
presses the  sense  of  the  Scriptures  on  this  point, 
when  it  teaches  that  Christ  will  come  “ to  judge  the 
world  at  the  last  day.”  We  look  for  no  other  coming 
of  our  blessed  Lord  than  these. 

This,  then,  is  the  witnessing  of  the  disciples  unto 


76 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Christ.  It  is  evangelizing  testimony,  to  be  brought 
to  the  mind  and  heart  of  every  creature,  and  to  be 
crowned  at  last  with  blessed  and  glorious  results  in 
the  conversion  of  the  world  unto  God. 

III.  The  remaining  words  of  the  verse  show  that 
the  witnessing  of  the  disciples  unto  Christ  was  to  be 
everywhere — “in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in 
Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth.” 

The  Saviour  does  not  seem  to  recognize  our  mod- 
ern distinction  of  Home  and  Foreign  Missions. 
There  is  a certain  order  marked  ; the  witnesses  were 
to  begin  among  those  who  were  nearest  to  them, 
going  from  them  to  the  next  nearest,  and  proceeding 
onward  still  to  those  who  dwelt  in  “ the  regions  be- 
yond.” This  was  in  fact  the  course  followed  by  the 
Apostles.  It  is  evidently  proper  to  begin  with  our 
own  people  in  witnessing  unto  Christ,  but  we  must 
beware  of  restricting  our  efforts  to  them.  The 
Gospel  is  for  all  men.  The  Apostles  and  first  Chris- 
tians so  understood  the  matter,  and  when,  at  first,  the 
disciples  were  staying  too  long  in  Jerusalem,  perhaps 
consulting  too  much  their  love  of  home  and  of  the 
temple,  a persecution  was  allowed  to  arise,  and  they 
were  scattered  abroad,  and  went  everywhere  preach- 
ing the  Word,  even  far  beyond  the  boundaries  of 
their  native  country,  though  its  inhabitants  had  by 
no  means  all  become  Christians.  So  it  was  also  at 
Antioch,  when  the  Gospel  obtained  a foothold  there, 
and  a church  was  formed  ; some  of  its  leading  mem- 
bers and  ministers  were  soon  sent  forth  as  missionaries, 
by  divine  direction  and  by  the  earnest  co-operation  of 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES. 


77 


the  Church,  though  the  people  of  Antioch  and  of 
that  province  were  not  then  all  converted.  We  need 
not  multiply  examples  to  show  how  the  first  disciples 
understood  the  extent  to  which  their  testimony 
should  be  made  known.  They  took  their  lives  in 
their  hand,  and  went  forth  to  whatever  part  of  the 
world  they  could  reach.  We  read  of  their  labors  in 
Africa,  in  Europe,  in  Western  Asia,  and  even  in  the 
eastern  parts  of  Asia  traces  of  their  presence  are  found. 

We  feel  sure  from  the  language  of  the  text  and 
from  the  example  of  the  disciples  in  the  apostolic 
age,  that  no  Christian  Church,  nor  any  member  of  the 
Church,  much  less  any  office-bearer  in  it,  can  claim 
to  have  fulfilled  his  duty  to  Christ  in  witnessing  unto 
him,  who  does  not  keep  earnestly  before  his  mind 
and  on  his  heart  the  vast  range  of  his  calling.  The 
presence  of  Christ  will  be  granted  only  to  the  Church 
that  is  seeking  to  bear- witness  unto  him  unto  the 
uttermost  part  of  the  earth.  We  believe  that  bless- 
ing has  rested  signally  on  our  Church  since  the  time 
when  we  entered  as  a Church  on  the  work  of  sending 
the  Gospel  abroad.  Our  foreign  missions  have  been 
greatly  prospered.  Churches  and  Presbyteries  are 
now  planted  in  Africa,  Asia,  South  America,  and 
among  some  of  our  Indian  tribes.  Native  commu- 
nicants, native  elders,  native  ministers,  in  many  for- 
eign parts,  now  worship  God  with  us  in  our  simple 
and  beautiful  order.  The  work  is  going  on  ; it  is 
calling  for  enlargement  ; it  must  be  extended.  And 
it  surely  will  be,  as  we  come  more  and  more  into  the 
spirit  of  primitive  piety. 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


7 S 

As  we  turn  and  survey  our  Church  here  at  home, 
we  see  no  signs  of  its  being  impoverished  or  weak- 
ened by  its  witnessing  work  abroad.  We  do  see 
things  that  awaken  our  solicitude — dangers  of  divided 
opinions,  and  especially  the  danger  of  being  carried 
away  by  tides  of  worldliness ; but  God  has  kept  us 
and  blest  us  hitherto.  All  through  the  terrible  events 
of  the  last  few  years  we  have  had  grace  given  to  us 
and  the  blessing  of  Providence,  so  that  we  have  not 
fallen  away  from  our  noble  missionary  work  abroad ; 
that  work  has  been  like  the  bow  of  promise — span- 
ning the  dark  sky,  and  pointing  to  brighter  days  when 
peace  should  return  to  bless  the  land,  in  order  that 
the  Church  might  go  on  to  bless  the  world.  What- 
ever may  have  been  our  past  dangers,  whatever  our 
present  difficulties,  they  would  have  been  far  greater, 
perhaps  even  fatal  to  our  churches,  if  God  had  not 
given  us  grace  to  bear  our  evangelistic  testimony  to 
our  countrymen  everywhere,  and  to  the  Indians,  the 
Hindus,  the  Siamese,  the  Chinese,  and  others,  there- 
by securing  the  fulfilment  of  our  Saviour’s  promise 
to  us,  and  thereby  enabling  many  of  our  Christian 
people  to  feel  more  deeply  the  worth  of  the  Gospel 
to  themselves.  As  we  continue  our  survey,  we  see 
signs  of  widely-spread  prosperity  in  the  home  inter- 
ests of  our  Church,  in  our  greatly  enlarged  number 
of  ministers  and  members  since  the  year  1832,  when 
the  foreign  missions  of  our  body  were  commenced ; 
but  on  these  and  other  things  we  can  not  enter.  We 
bless  the  Lord  for  what  he  hath  done  for  us  and  by 
us.  We  gratefully  ascribe  all  our  prosperity,  at  home 


PO  WER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES. 


79 


and  abroad,  and  all  our  success,  to  the  presence  of 
our  blessed  Lord  with  us,  as  we  have  endeavored  to 
be  witnesses  unto  him  both  in  our  own  country  and 
in  foreign  lands,  even  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the 
earth.  Here,  then,  we  rest  in  our  exposition  of  this 
verse,  and  conclude  with  two  or  three  inferences. 

1.  We  see  that  the  duty  of  Christian  witnessing  is 
from  God.  It  is  unto  Christ,  by  his  last  instructions 
and  by  his  last  commandment.  It  is  inspired  and 
made  efficacious  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  bearing 
their  testimony,  the  disciples  have  a divine  warrant 
— they  run  not  unsent ; and  they  may  feel  assured, 
therefore,  that  their  witnessing  shall  not  be  in  vain. 
Whether  many  or  few  receive  their  testimony,  they 
shall  receive  a divine  reward.  Let  them  seek  to  be 
found  faithful  witnesses,  never  shunning  to  declare 
the  whole  counsel  of  God,  ever  setting  the  Lord  him- 
self before  them,  giving  their  testimony  from  love  to 
him,  cherishing  a sense  of  their  dependence  on  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  then  they  shall  be  blessed  them- 
selves and  a blessing  to  the  world. 

2.  We  see  the  main  elements  of  success  in  apos- 
tolic evangelization.  Its  agents  were  men  impelled 
by  love  to  Christ  and  empowered  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Their  minds  were  enlightened,  their  hearts  filled  with 
holy  affections,  their  labors  abundant  beyond  measure 
— all  because  they  were  under  divine  influence.  Their 
views  of  their  work  were  clear  and  well  defined  ; they 
knew  precisely  what  they  were  to  do ; they  engaged 
in  it  at  no  uncertainty.  A noble  purpose  of  conse- 
cration to  God  governed  their  whole  course.  As  we 


8o 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


fix  our  attention  on  the  life  of  one  of  those  early  dis- 
ciples— and  it  matters  little  which  of  them — as  we 
consider  his  faith  in  Christ,  his  self-renunciation,  his 
unworldly  spirit,  his  willingness  to  endure  hardness 
and  to  practice  self-denial,  his  devotedness  to  the 
great  object  of  saving  lost  souls  and  thereby  glorify- 
ing God,  his  perseverance  in  seeking  this  object  in 
the  face  of  reproach,  opposition,  persecution,  violence, 
and  death — even  death  in  the  most  terrible  form — we 
are  filled  with  admiration  of  his  holy  life  and  his 
blessed  labors.  With  such  a consecration  of  heart 
and  life,  and  with  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  at 
once  its  spring  and  its  blessing,  we  do  not  wonder  to 
see  Stephen  martyred,  and  the  cause  advanced  which 
his  death  was  intended  to  destroy.  We  do  not  won- 
der to  see  the  brilliant  course  of  Paul,  his  abundant 
labors,  his  unceasing  prayers,  his  unwearied  zeal  flam- 
ing to  the  last.  We  do  not  wonder  then  to  hear  his 
noble  testimony:  “For  I am  now  ready  to  be  offered, 
and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  I have 
fought  a good  fight,  I have  finished  my  course,  I have 
kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a 
crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous 
Judge,  shall  give  to  me  at  that  day  ; and  not  to  me 
only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing.” 
These  were  the  missionaries,  these  were  the  ministers, 
of  the  primitive  Church.  We  readily  see  the  secret 
of  their  wonderful  success.  They  walked  with  God, 
and  God  was  with  them,  and  therefore  the  Gospel 
won  triumphs  in  the  world  such  as  no  subsequent  age 
has  witnessed ; yes,  and  we  may  say  such  as  the 


POWER  OF  CHRISTIAN  WITNESSES. 


world  will  not  witness  again  until  our  ministers  and 
missionaries  become  men  of  apostolic  piety. 

3.  We  see  what  is  most  needed  by  us  as  a Church, 
as  a body  of  Christian  people — ministers,  elders,  dea- 
cons, and  members.  It  is  not  purer  doctrines:  our 
faith  is  of  God.  It  is  not  a better  order : our  Church 
is  at  once  scriptural,  catholic,  beautiful  in  its  worship, 
and  admirable  in  its  government.  It  is  not,  perhaps, 
better  plans  of  promoting  the  work  of  evangelization  ; 

. ...  it  is  not  in  any  of  these  things  that  we  feel  our 
greatest  need ; it  is  the  want  of  apostolic  piety ; it 
is  the  want  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Men  commonly  depend  on  talent,  learning,  wealth, 
station  ; we  undervalue  none  of  these  gifts  ; God  has 
ever  used  them  all.  But  he  also  uses  the  weak  things 
of  the  world  to  confound  the  mighty.  And  God  will 
so  order  events  that  the  glory  of  the  world’s  salva- 
tion shall  be  seen  to  be  of  himself  and  not  of  men. 
He  will  employ  great  gifts,  but  he  will  also  employ 
humble  gifts.  And  if  God  the  Holy  Spirit  be  with 
“ little  men,”  they  will  work  wonders — especially  will 
such  men  as  are  little  in  their  own  esteem.  The  gift 
most  important,  most  to  be  desired  by  us  all,  is  the 
outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Let  his  power  be  so 
manifest  in  us,  so  govern  our  lives,  so  animate  our 
prayers,  as  to  make  us  Christ-like ; let  his  gracious 
power  so  control  us  as  to  consume  our  worldly  aims, 
our  unworthy  desires  of  comfort,  our  undue  regard 
for  the  praise  of  men,  and  at  the  same  time  to  raise 
our  conceptions  of  divine  and  eternal  things,  filling 
our  hearts  with  the  love  of  God,  and  giving  us  deep 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


impressions  of  the  power  of  the  world  to  come,  and 
then  shall  our  course  be  in  some  measure  like  that  of 
the  first  Christians.  The  little  company  that  saw  our 
Lord  ascend  into  heaven  were  soon  clothed  with 
power,  and  then  went  forth  and  made  their  power 
felt  throughout  the  world.  We  serve  the  same  Sav- 
iour; we  have  the  unlimited  promise  of  the  same 
Almighty  Spirit ; the  same  work  is  set  before  us  as 
before  them  ; the  world  stands  open  to-day,  as  it  did 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  still  waiting  for  mission- 
aries. Let  the  Spirit  of  God  baptize  our  ministers, 
elders,  and  communicants,  and  how  soon  would  our 
Church  go  forth  like  the  Church  of  Jerusalem  or  the 
Church  of  Antioch,  to  bless  the  world  ! 


XX. 

FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLES  NOT  TO  BE  OVER- 
LOOKED. 

In  a favorable  notice  of  a book  on  missions,  one 
of  our  exchanges  makes  this  remark  : “ Comparatively 
little  is  said  in  the  work  upon  the  generally  accepted 
fundamental  principles  upon  which  the  great  work  of 
missions  rests.”  We  need  not  consider  how  far  this 
remark  is  applicable  to  the  book,  but  we  fear  it  is 
far  too  applicable  to  many  of  the  addresses  and 
articles  on  missions  by  which  an  interest  in  the  cause 
is  sought  to  be  promoted.  Bright,  sensational  re- 
marks, something  interesting,  and  if  it  be  romantic 


FUNDAMENTAL  PRINCIPLES.  83 

all  the  better,  something  to  make  people  laugh  or 
cry — well,  we  do  not  object  to  these  things  in  their 
time  and  place,  though  for  sensationalism  we  have 
little  respect,  especially  in  grave  spiritual  interests. 
But  while  we  prize  “ popular  ” appeals  for  missions, 
we  should  not  overlook  first  principles.  The  nature 
and  ground  of  Christian  duty  towards  the  heathen  ; 
the  condition  of  men  without  the  Gospel,  especially 
in  view  of  the  eternal  world  ; the  proper  means  to  be 
employed  for  their  evangelization,  and  the  best  meth- 
ods of  securing  the  use  of  these  means,  and  as  con- 
nected therewith,  the  province  of  the  Church  at 
home  and  in  the  field  in  the  support  and  direction  of 
the  work  of  missions  ; the  reasons  of  encouragement 
and  the  measure  of  success  ; these  and  other  sub- 
jects need  to  be  well  understood  by  our  Christian 
people.  Once  understood  and  “ accepted,”  these 
fundamental  principles  will  lead  to  steady,  earnest 
action,  continued  as  long  as  life  lasts,  and  according 
to  what  God  gives.  It  is  on  such  action  the  cause 
of  missions  must  depend,  not  on  special  efforts,  not 
on  impulsive  movements,  not  on  temporary  expe- 
dients. 


84 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


XXI. 

ROMANS  xv.  20. 

Rom.  xv.  20.  “Yea,  so  have  I strived  to  preach  the  gospel,  not 
where  Christ  was  named,  lest  I should  build  upon  another  man’s 
foundation.”  Compare  2 Cor.  x.  15,  16. 


The  meaning  of  this  passage  is  plain  : the  apostle 
had  aimed  at  being  the  first  to  preach  the  Gospel 
among  those  who  had  not  heard  it.  He  wished  to 
lay  the  foundation  himself.  Why? 

It  was  not  surely  from  any  vain,  selfish,  or  ambi- 
tious feelings  ; the  character  of  the  apostle,  and  the 
influence  which  directed  him,  forbid  any  supposition 
of  that  kind.  He  was  no  evangelical  hero,  living  for 
his  own  praise,  or  to  acquire  a name  among  the 
churches. 

Nor  was  it  because  he  had  not  talents  to  fulfil  with 
acceptance  the  duties  of  any  station,  even  in  any 
city  ; his  writings  and  the  esteem  with  which  he  was 
regarded  utterly  discountenance  this  notion.  There 
are  diversities  of  gifts  adapted  to  different  situations 
in  the  Church ; but  we  should  recollect  that  different 
stations  among  those  where  Christ  has  not  been 
named,  require  different  talents,  affording  employ- 
ment for  the  most  gifted,  and  yet  not  discouraging 
him  that  has  one  talent  committed  to  his  care. 

Nor  was  it,  again,  because  this  apostle  had  received 
a special  commission  to  the  Gentiles ; there  were 
other  Apostles  among  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  Paul. 


ROMANS  XV.  20. 


85 


and  he  might  have  labored  in  the  fields  first  entered 
by  them  ; or  he  might  have  remained  in  some  of  the 
places  where  his  labors  had  been  attended  with  suc- 
cess, but  where  there  was  much  still  to  do  ; where 
the  people  were  affectionate,  and  where  his  situation 
would  have  been  comfortable.  None  of  these  con- 
siderations, therefore,  explain  the  course  pursued  by 
the  apostle. 

But  probably  he  found  a sweeter  recompense  in 
declaring  the  riches  of  the  Gospel  to  those  dying  in 
utter  ignorance,  than  to  those  who,  though  equally 
dying,  were  yet  dying  in  Gospel  light:  just  as  a be- 
nevolent man  finds  greater  satisfaction  in  giving  food 
to  the  starving,  who  have  no  help,  than  to  others 
starving  also,  and  yet  rejecting  the  offered  food. 

We  may  suppose,  again,  that  his  bowels  yearned 
towards  those  among  whom  “ Christ  was  not  named  ” ; 
where  the  foundation  was  not  laid  ; where  there  was 
no  knowledge  of  the  only  “ name  given  under  heaven 
and  amongst  men  ” whereby  there  could  be  salva- 
tion. He  pitied  them,  and  his  was  not  the  frozen 
charity  which  says,  “ depart  in  peace,  be  ye  warmed 
and  filled,”  and  yet  makes  no  effort  to  extend  relief. 
No  ; he  was  anxious  that  all  men  should  hear  of 
Christ  ; should  be  called  by  his  name ; and  should 
build  their  hopes  on  him  for  eternity.  See  his  life 
and  writings,  as  recorded  in  the  New  Testament,  for 
proof. 

But  once  more  : He  had  no  doubt  reference  to  the 
commandment  to  “ preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creat- 
ure,” which  would  never  be  obeyed  if  all  were  to 


86 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


preach  the  Gospel  only  where  “ things  were  made 
ready  to  their  hands,”  while  there  were  so  many 
places  “ where  Christ  was  not  ’’  even  “ named.”  The 
apostle  had  too  much  respect  for  the  authority  of  his 
Lord,  and  too  much  regard  for  the  honor  of  his 
Saviour,  to  neglect  or  disobey  any  of  his  command- 
ments, and  much  less  one  which  was  so  essentially 
connected  with  the  temporal  and  the  eternal  well- 
being of  millions  of  his  fellow-men. 

From  this  subject  we  may  infer,  I.  The  necessity' 
of  pure  motives  on  the  part  of  those  who  go  to 
“ preach  the  gospel  where  Christ  has  not  been 
named.”  No  supposition  ascribes  any  improper  mo- 
tives to  the  apostle,  and  every  preacher  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, at  the  present  day,  is  under  equal  obligation  to 
be  upright,  and  to  have  a conscience  void  of  offence, 
not  only  in  the  sight  of  men,  but  of  God.  At  the 
same  time,  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  the  danger 
on  this  score  is  greater  now  than  in  the  days  of  the 
apostle.  There  are  not  now  the  fires  of  persecution 
to  purify ; but  there  is,  to  some  extent,  the  voice  of 
praise  bestowed  in  advance,  which  is  well  adapted  to 
ensnare.  This  difference  only  points  out  the  neces- 
sity of  a close  inspection  of  motives  in  the  sight  of 
Heaven,  by  those  who  would  engage  in  missionary 
labors. 

2.  If  the  same  spirit  animated  Christian  ministers 
now  which  glowed  in  the  bosom  of  the  apostle,  there 
would  not  be  so  many  places  where  the  foundation 
is  not  yet  laid.  This  inference  is  fully  justified,  also, 
by  a simple  survey  of  Paul’s  labors.  These  can  not 


PRO  VERBS  XI.  24.  87 

be  detailed  here  ; but  the  examination  of  them  will 
amply  repay  the  time  spent  in  making  it. 

3.  As  the  converse  of  the  last,  there  would  not  be 
so  many  who  are  preaching  the  Gospel  where  Christ 
has  been  named.  If  the  8,000  American  clergymen 
[in  1834]  had  the  same  zeal  that  Paul  displayed,  how 
soon  would  the  Gospel  be  proclaimed  where  Christ  is 
now  unknown,  and,  of  course,  where  he  is  not  regard- 
ed ? On  the  last  two  inferences  it  is  not  proposed  to 
enlarge  ; but  one  question  may  be  worthy  of  consid- 
eration— What  reason  can  be  given  for  any  Christian’s 
being  destitute  of  the  same  spirit  which  the  apostle 
displayed  in  this  passage  of  Scripture?  This  inquiry 
deserves  attention  from  every  one,  whatever  be  his 
station  or  his  prospective  station  in  the  church.  It  is 
true,  all  may  not  be  able  to  display  the  same  dispo- 
sition in  the  same  way  ; but  if  the  disposition  is  found, 
Providence  will  soon  open  some  way  in  which  it  may 
be  effective.  Many  there  are,  however,  who  might 
manifest  the  same  spirit  which  Paul  felt,  by  literally 
imitating  his  example  ; by  preaching  “ the  Gospel  not 
where  Christ  is  named.” 


XXII. 

PROVERBS  xi.  24. 

“ There  is  that  scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth  ; and  there  is  that 
withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  to  poverty.” 

A FEW  years  ago  one  of  the  Baptist  newspapers 
contained  an  instructive  narrative,  which  illustrated 


88 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


these  words  of  truth.  Two  churches  were  organized 
about  the  same  period,  in  the  same  district,  of  nearly 
equal  numbers  and  pecuniary  means,  and  both  with 
good  prospects  of  growth.  Their  young  and  vigor- 
ous pastors  adopted  different  views  on  the  subject  of 
church  collections.  One  encouraged  his  people  to 
give  liberally  to  the  usual  denominational  objects, 
though  they  were  not  yet  able  to  defray  all  of  their 
own  church  expenses.  The  other  discouraged  collec- 
tions for  all  outside  objects,  until  his  people  could  fully 
support  their  own  church.  So  they  began,  and  so 
they  continued,  until  at  the  end  of  five  years  the  for- 
mer church  was  strong  and  prosperous,  while  the  lat- 
ter was  almost  dead. 

This  narrative,  which  seemed  to  be  truthful  and 
not  exaggerated,  made  quite  an  impression  on  the 
mind  of  the  present  writer.  And  now  he  would  add 
to  it  another  case,  with  which  he  was  personally 
somewhat  acquainted.  In  one  of  our  cities,  some 
years  ago,  we  had  a church  in  a good  position,  hav- 
ing a young  pastor,  of  more  than  ordinary  ability  as 
to  natural  and  acquired  talents,  and  especially  as  a 
preacher ; but  its  house  of  worship  was  a very  plain 
building,  while  other  churches  in  the  same  city  were 
handsome,  and  some  of  them  costly  edifices.  The 
growth  of  the  church  to  which  we  specially  refer  was 
not  remarkable,  but  not  particularly  discouraging  ; 
certainly,  it  did  not  satisfy  the  pastor,  and  the 
elders  agreed  with  him  in  his  views.  What  was 
needed  for  success,  in  their  judgment,  was  a fine 
church  building.  The  congregation  was  not  able  to 


PRO  VERBS  XI.  24. 


89 


erect  an  edifice  of  this  kind,  it  was  supposed,  unless 
they  should  concentrate  all  their  energies  on  this 
object  during  as  long  a period  as  might  be  necessary; 
and  this  course  was  resolved  upon.  All  collec- 
tions for  objects  not  connected  with  the  congrega- 
tion, as,  for  instance,  for  any  of  the  Church  Boards, 
were  to  be  refused  until  the  fine  church  was  built. 
This  course  was  decided  on  by  the  church  session  ; 
if  not  adopted  at  the  instance  of  the  pastor,  it  was 
sustained  by  him,  though  with  feelings  of  regret. 
What  was  the  result  ? The  plan  did  not  meet  with 
the  expected  success  ; after  a while  the  minister  re- 
signed ; another  minister  was  called  ; but  the  fine  new 
edifice  was  never  built,  and  the  church  was  eventually 
merged  in  another  congregation. 

Other  examples,  differing  in  circumstances,  but 
teaching  a similar  lesson,  might  be  given.  On  the 
other  hand,  have  we  ever  known  a church  that  was 
weakened  and  its  growth  hindered  by  what  its  mem- 
bers contributed  to  the  cause  of  Christ  beyond  their 
own  congregational  boundaries  ? After  more  than 
forty  years’  observation  in  the  ministry,  the  answer 
is,  No,  not  one  ! 


XXIII. 

THE  DENOMINATIONAL  ELEMENT  IN  MISSIONS. 

“ I DID  not  come  out  here  to  build  up  Denomina- 
tionalism.”  We  quote  the  words  of  one  of  our  mis- 


9° 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


sionaries  in  the  East,  arguing  in  favor  of  a “ union” 
organization  of  the  only  church  yet  constituted  in 
his  field  of  labor,  so  that  it  may  serve  as  an  example 
to  other  churches  hereafter  to  be  formed  in  the  same 
country.  As  a union  church  it  would  now,  he  thinks, 
secure  the  favor  of  missionaries  of  three  denomina- 
tions of  Christians,  and  so  avoid  the  appearance  of 
divisions  among  Protestants,  contrasting,  it  is  alleged, 
unfavorably  with  the  unity  of  Roman  Catholics. 

On  the  same  general  idea,  considerable  opposition 
has  been  made  to  the  Church  Boards  sending  mis- 
sionaries into  a neighboring  Roman  Catholic  country. 
“ Let  us  not  exhibit  our  divided  Protestantism  be- 
fore united  Romanism.  Let  our  sectarian  differences 
be  excluded,  and  only  a non-denominational  form  of 
our  holy  religion  be  presented.”  In  both  cases,  much 
is  made  of  the  idea,  that  our  denominational  mis- 
sionary work  will  lead  the  people  to  think  that  Chris- 
tians are  not  themselves  agreed  concerning  their  own 
religion,  and  therefore  their  efforts  to  spread  the 
Gospel  in  Roman  Catholic  and  Pagan  countries  must 
be  made  at  a great  disadvantage.  We  are  aiming  to 
give  a fair  and  strong  statement  of  this  “ non-denom- 
inational ” plea. 

Several  things  may  be  considered  in  reply. 

i.  If  non-denominational  missionary  effort  abroad 
is  best,  we  see  not  why  it  is  not  best  at  home  ; yet 
we  apprehend  that  few  persons  here  think  so.  Past 
experience  does  not  so  teach.  Until  Christians  agree 
in  these  matters  at  home,  we  see  not  how  missionaries 
can  wisely  adopt  “ union  ” church  organizations 


THE  DENOMINA  TIONAL  ELEMENT. 


9i 


abroad  ; they  must,  for  obvious  reasons,  represent 
the  churches  that  send  them  out  and  support  them. 

2.  We  can  not  grant  that  it  is  inexpedient  for  the 
Church  to  be  divided  into  denominations.  We  ad- 
mit the  occurrence  of  certain  evils  too  often,  but  the 
abuse  or  misuse  of  a thing  is  not  an  argument  against 
its  use.  Neither  is  external  unity  a safeguard  from 
many  and  great  evils  ; we  may  recur  to  this  point 
further  on.  Here,  we  only  suggest  that  true  Chris- 
tian union,  such  as  our  Saviour  taught  us  to  pray  for, 
finds  its  place  chiefly  in  the  hearts  of  his  people, 
leading  them  to  love  all  who  love  him,  who  hold  his 
truth,  and  who  keep  his  commandments.  There  is 
the  idea  of  bearing  witness  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,  that  is  essential  to  the  Church.  And  when, 
under  the  teaching  and  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
Christians  hold  the  same  views  of  truth  as  to  doc- 
trine and  church  order,  then  they  will  be  ready  for 
organic  union.  In  the  meantime,  peace  and  useful- 
ness are  best  promoted  by  their  “ agreeing  to  differ.” 

3.  Granting  that  there  are  evils  or  tendencies  to 
evil  in  our  missionary  plans  as  connected  with  de- 
nominations, these  should  not  be  exaggerated.  Of 
course,  no  missionary  is  sent  out  “ to  build  up  de- 
nominationalism  ” ; he  is  sent  out  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel. Yet  his  first  sermon  may  present  views  in  which 
some  good  missionaries  would  not  concur;  both  he 
and  they  might  be  much  embarrassed  thereby  in 
their  work,  if  they  belonged  to  the  same  church  or- 
ganization. When  God  is  pleased  to  bless  his  labors, 
and  he  has  the  joy  of  baptizing  the  first  convert,  and 


92 


MI, S SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


afterwards,  when  he  and  his  brethren  have  the  priv- 
ilege of  ordaining  the  first  native  minister,  he  must 
face  practical  denominational  questions  ; but  they 
need  give  him  little  trouble.  He  can  meet  them  on 
the  same  ground  which  is  taken  by  the  church  at 
home,  whose  representative  he  is,  and  whose  faith 
he  holds  ; but  he  will  also  meet  them  in  the  spirit  of 
the  great  apostle,  who  gloried  most  in  preaching  the 
Gospel,  not  in  baptizing  converts.  The  result  is  to 
keep  minor  questions  of  church  order  in  their  proper 
place.  The  true  missionary  will  not  be  a partisan  ; 
he  will  honor  the  gifts  and  graces  of  his  brethren  of 
other  churches ; he  will  ever  help  them,  and  never 
hinder  them  in  their  work  for  Christ. 

4.  As  these  tendencies  to  evil  are  held  in  check 
amongst  missionaries,  so,  on  the  other  hand,  among 
Romanists,  or  among  the  heathen,  the  people  soon 
learn  to  see  that  Protestant  Christians  do  love  one 
another,  that  they  do  agree  in  most  things,  that  their 
differences  relate  to  minor  matters ; in  fact,  that  they 
all  acknowledge  the  same  Lord  and  Saviour. 

5.  We  have  admitted  certain  tendencies  to  evil, 
undue  pressing  of  the  mode  of  baptism  or  of  the 
form  of  ordination,  as  examples,  the  want  of  concert, 
the  varying  views  of  methods  of  missionary  educa- 
tion, etc. ; but  there  is  another  side  of  the  case.  It 
may  easily  prove  true,  that  this  diversity  itself  may 
be  in  many  cases  an  element  of  strength.  It  secures 
a wider  range  and  leads  to  a greater  degree  of  effort  ; 
it  promotes  an  early  revision  of  mistaken  counsels  ; 
it  may  lead  to  a better  established  Christianity 


THE  DENOMINA  TIONAL  ELEMENT. 


93 


amongst  the  people  than  if  the  missionaries  of  only 
one  denomination  were  to  occupy  each  country.  We 
cite  in  proof  of  some  of  these  particulars,  the  his- 
tory of  our  missions  in  Upper  India.  That  part  of 
India  was  chosen  by  our  first  missionaries  as  their 
field  of  labor,  largely  because  it  was  unoccupied  by 
missionaries  of  other  churches  ; and  for  many  years 
it  was  in  the  charge  of  our  Church  almost  as  exclu- 
sively as  Burmah  has  been  in  the  charge  of  our  Bap- 
tist brethren.  In  later  years  English  Episcopal  and 
American  Methodist  missionaries,  and  some  others, 
were  led  to  enter  on  the  work  of  missions  in  Upper 
India.  As  the  result  of  all,  we  see  a much  larger 
force  of  laborers  on  the  ground  than  we  should  see 
if  the  work  had  remained  solely  in  our  charge  ; we 
see  more  done  for  the  salvation  of  souls  ; we  see  cer- 
tain inter-missionary  influences  there,  resulting  in 
better  methods  of  work ; and  we  see  reflex  in- 
fluences reaching  large  numbers  of  Christian  people 
in  Europe  and  our  own  country.  We  doubt  not 
it  is  better  for  the  cause  of  Christ  in  India,  that 
our  Christian  brethren  of  other  denominations  are 
our  fellow-laborers  there  ; and  both  they  and  we  are 
under  the  best  bonds  to  “ keep  the  peace,”  to  dwell 
together  in  unity.  Our  conviction  is  strong,  more- 
over, that  it  would  have  been  better  for  Burmah,  if 
several  leading  denominations  of  Christians. had  been 
conducting  missions  in  that  country,  instead  of  only 
one.  We  need  hardly  add,  such  is  also  our  convic- 
tion as  to  the  evangelization  of  Mexico. 

6.  What  is  the  remedy  of  evils,  or  tendencies  to 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


94  . 

evil,  resulting  from  denominational  work  in  missions? 
Not  external  unity.  The  Roman  Church  has  that, 
and  yet  how  notorious  and  how  bitter  have  been  the 
dissensions  of  the  different  orders  of  the  Romanist 
missionaries.  These  internecine  contentions  are  be- 
lieved to  have  had  much  to  do  with  the  persecution 
and  expulsion  of  the  Roman  Catholic  priests  from 
China  and  Japan.  Such  contentions,  we  trust,  are 
not  possible  among  Protestants ; but  to  whatever 
degree  they  may  prevail,  it  will  be  found  that*  it  is 
chiefly  amongst  the  more  formal  and  ritualistic  of 
their  number — those  who  make  most  of  external 
order  and  uniformity,  as  in  the  unhappy  example  of 
some  agents  of  the  English  Gospel  Propagation  So- 
ciety. It  is  not  external  unity  on  which  we  rely, 
therefore,  nor  the  united  organic  action  of  different 
denominations  ; but  it  is  our  having  in  us  the  same 
mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  ; it  is  our  simply  do- 
ing as  we  would  be  done  by  in  all  our  missionary 
plans  and  labors.  This  will  prevent  most  of  the 
evils  apprehended  from  denominational  action  in  the 
work  of  missions,  and  it  will  secure  the  best  kind  of 
brotherly  co-operation,  as  far  as  needful. 

Inspired  by  this  spirit,  ever  mindful  of  this  good 
rule,  our  missionaries  of  different  names  will  go  for- 
ward side  by  side  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  our 
home  churches  will  engage  in  this  great  work  as 
churches , not  as  societies,  each  standing  in  its  own 
lot,  holding  its  own  faith  and  order  as  best,  until 
better  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  truth  ; never  indif- 
ferent to  what  it  believes  to  be  true,  but  yet  recog- 


REASONS  OF  “ CHURCH ” WORK. 


95 


nizing  the  Christian  character  of  other  churches, 
and  honoring  their  missionary  labors.  This  is  the 
true  theory,  as  we  humbly  think,  of  denominational 
missions.  The  unevangelized  world — heathen,  Mo- 
hammedan, and  Papal — has  much  to  hope,  and  little 
to  fear  from  their  progress.  And  our  friends,  whether 
here  at  home  or  on  missionary  ground,  need  not  be 
solicitous  to  avoid  “ denominationalism.”  Denomi- 
national or  church  action  in  missions,  springing 
from  love  to  Christ  and  his  truth,  will  do  more  for 
the  spread  of  the  Gospel  in  the  world  than  any  other 
form  of  united  Christian  effort  that  has  ever  been 
devised.  It  will  do  this,  because  it  is  simply  the 
Church  of  Christ  on  earth  acting  in  its  missionary 
character.  So  acting  the  Church  will  be  blessed  with 
the  presence  of  her  Lord,  and  great  will  be  her  suc- 
cess in  his  work. 


XXIV. 

REASONS  OF  “CHURCH”  WORK  IN  MISSIONS. 

SOME  remarks  were  made  in  the  preceding  paper 
on  “ the  Denominational  Element  in  Missions.”  They 
presented  views  chiefly  intended  to  obviate  objections 
to  the  ‘‘  church  ” theory.  In  favor  of  this  theory 
there  are  strong  positive  reasons,  some  of  which  we 
now  briefly  state — our  space  not  permitting  any  full 
statement. 

In  favor  of  conducting  the  work  of  missions  by  the 
Church,  and  not  by  Societies,  we  refer — ■ 


?6 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


1.  To  our  Lord’s  last  commandment,  “ Go  ye  into 
all  the  world.”  In  its  terms,  which  embrace  one  of 
the  great  functions  of  the  organized  church,  that  of 
teaching,  and  also  one  of  the  two  sacraments,  we  re- 
gard this  commandment  as  having  a direct  application 
to  the  church  itself,  as  a regularly  constituted  body, 
including  its  office-bearers  and  members.  We  know 
the  reply  to  this  which  is  made  by  those  whose  defi- 
nition of  the  “ church  ” is  different  from  that  of  our 
standards;  but  on  the  one  side  we  cite  the  authorita- 
tive Council  held  in  Jerusalem,  and  on  the  other  side 
we  refer  to  the  several  “ bishops  ” of  the  churches 
in  the  small  city  of  Ephesus,  as  favoring  our  church 
views  not  only,  but  also  as  showing  that  essential 
methods  and  fruits  of  Apostolic  missionary  work 
were  similiar  to  our  own,  if  not  identical.  We  might 
cite  also  the  example  of  the  church  of  Antioch — Acts 
xiii.  1-3  ; xiv.  26,  27.  Would  that  we  \yere  moved 
by  a like  Apostolic  spirit  ! Without  dwelling  on  this 
commandment,  we  state  it  as  a corner-stone  in  the 
edifice  of  church  work.  Certainly  we  read  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  of  no  “ Societies,”  Union  or 
other,  for  spreading  the  Gospel. 

2.  It  is  a great  question  in  the  work  of  missions, 
how  best  to  reach  and  interest  in  its  behalf  all  the 
members  of  the  Church — young  and  old,  rich  and 
poor.  We  think  this  can  best  be  done  by  church 
action — each  Christian  denomination  moving  in  the 
matter  according  to  its  own  order.  We  do  not  dis- 
parage the  Societies  in  this  respect  ; their  supporters 
as  volunteers  are  often  first  on  the  ground,  and  do 


REASONS  OF  “ CHURCH”  WORK. 


97 


great  good.  But  for  training  the  children,  and  for 
enlisting  all  classes  of  people,  we  rely  most  on  the  ap- 
pointed means  of  grace,  in  each  congregation,  under 
the  supervision  of  the  church  courts.  This  church 
action  is  all-embracing  and  enduring.  It  may  claim 
the  fulfilment  in  direct  terms  of  our  Saviour’s  blessed 
promise. 

3.  It  is  also  a question  of  practical  moment  how  to 
condutt  what  may  be  called  the  administrative  part 
of  the  work  of  missions  in  the  best  way how  to 
procure  the  funds  needed,  not  as  moneys  assessed, 
but  as  free-will  offerings,  the  fruits  of  grace,  and  with 
least  expense  in  their  collection ; — how  to  combine 
needful  supervision  with  proper  personal  freedom  of 
action  how  to  secure  a certain  central  or  home 
direction  with  full  local  choice  and  energy  in  many 
foreign  fields ; — how  to  do  all  this  under  the  guidance 
of  principles  held  in  common  by  the  laborers  at  home 
and  abroad,  and  also  under  the  sanctions  of  law  read- 
ily available,  if  need  be ; — how  best  to  guard  against 
divisions  and  personal  difficulties.  All  this,  as  we 
think,  is  best  secured  by  our  theory.  We  do  not 
claim  perfection,  by  any  means,  in  the  practical  work- 
ing of  this  theory  ; we  see  some  defects ; we  see 
some  things  to  be  better  arranged  ; but,  on  the  whole, 
we  do  see  great  and  distinctive  advantages  in  having 
our  missionary  administration  closely  connected  with 
the  Church,  as  a part  of  its  organized  work  and  under 
its  full  control. 

4.  It  is  an  obvious  duty  to  make  a wise  use  of  the 
pecuniary  offerings  of  the  people  of  God  to  the 


5 


98 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


cause  of  missions  in  their  expenditure,  both  in  the 
department  of  home  administration  and  in  the  work 
abroad.  Dangers  abound  here.  The  executive  ex- 
penses at  home  may  be  far  too  expensive ; and  even 
where  the  home  service  is  gratuitous,  ill-judged  meas- 
ures abroad  may  involve  wasteful  outlays.  In  this 
respect,  we  think  our  theory  works  well,  compara- 
tively ; and  if  it  does  not  work  satisfactorily,  its  de- 
fects or  its  abuses  can  be  readily  corrected. 

But  we  forbear  to  enlarge.  After  all,  we  would  not 
make  too  much  of  external  church  movement  in  the 
work  of  missions,  though  we  think  it  is  of  practical 
importance.  We  would  magnify,  most  of  all,  the 
great  idea  of  having  this  church  movement  made 
Christ-like,  through  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  hearts  of  all  our  people.  Then  the  Church 
will  arise  and  shine.  Then  the  Gentiles  shall  come  to 
her  light,  and  kings  to  the  brightness  of  her  rising. 


MONTHLY  CONCERT"  MEETING. 


99 


XXV. 

‘.‘MONTHLY  CONCERT”  MEETING  OF  PRAYER. 

“We  must  go  farther  still,  however,  to  reach  the  spring-head — 
the  primary  cause  of  the  missionary  excitement  in  Carey’s  mind, 
and  its  diffusion  among  the  Northamptonshire  ministers.  At  the 
meeting  of  the  association  in  1784,  at  Nottingham,  it  was  resolved 
to  set  apart  an  hour  on  the  first  Monday  evening  of  every  month, 

‘ for  extraordinary  prayer  for  the  revival  of  religion,  and  for  the 
extending  of  Christ’s  kingdom  in  the  world.’  This  suggestion  pro- 
ceeded from  the  venerable  Sutcliff.  Its  simplicity  and  appropriate- 
ness have  since  recommended  it  to  universal  adoption  ; and  copious 
showers  of  blessings  from  on  high  have  been  poured  forth  upon 
the  churches.” — History  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  (English), 
by  Rev.  F.  A.  Cox,  D.D. 

SUCH  was  the.origin  of  the  Monthly  Concert  Meet- 
ing of  Prayer.  And  no  more  striking  example  could 
be  given  of  its  happy  influence,  than  we  observe  in 
the  case  of  Carey.  And  thus  it  led  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Baptist  Missions  in  the  densely  inhabited 
province  of  Bengal ; to  the  translation  and  printing  of 
the  Sacred  Scriptures  in  the  numerous  languages  of 
India  ; to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  by  many  faith- 
ful ministers,  and  the  hopeful  conversion  of  many 
heathens  to  God  ; to  that  system  of  efforts  which  is 
still  in  progress,  and  which  God  is  doubtless  employ- 
ing as  a part  of  the  instrumentality  by  which  his 
Church  shall  be  established  and  exalted  among  the 
Hindus.  Who  can  say  that  the  observance  of  this 
meeting  in  any  of  our  congregations,  even  in  the 
most  retired  and  unnoticed  district  of  the  country, 
may  not  lead  to  results  of  great  importance  ? 


IOO 


MISSIONA R Y PAPERS. 


Observe  the  principal  object  of  this  meeting — 
prayer  for  the  spread  of  religion.  The  prayer  of  a 
righteous  man  or  woman,  for  things  agreeable  to  the 
will  of  God,  is  doubtless  one  of  the  mightiest  agencies 
within  the  reach  of  mortals.  Its  power  can  not  be 
comprehended.  It  is  in  outward  form  nothing  but  a 
breath  of  air  ; but  in  its  inner  and  real  meaning,  it  is 
the  desire  of  the  soul  expressed  to  God ; and  as  the 
means  which  he  has  appointed  for  obtaining  his  bless- 
ing, it  produces  results  which  all  the  combinations 
of  human  and  Satanic  power  can  not  withstand. 
“ The  effectual,  fervent  prayer  of  a righteous  man 
availeth  much,” — how  much  the  inspired  writer  does 
not  undertake  to  describe,  though  he  proceeds  to  give 
a striking  illustration  of  its  efficacy.  Thus  of  the 
prayer  of  one  person  ; social  or  united  prayer  has  a 
special  promise  to  encourage  Christians  to  engage  in 
it,  Matthew  xviii.  20.  There  is  a remarkable  ex- 
ample recorded  of  its  connection  with  the  first  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  subsequent  con- 
version of  large  multitudes  of  people  in  the  course 
of  a few  hours,  Acts  i.  13,  14;  ii.  1-11,  41.  We 
live  in  the  times  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  We  are  author- 
ized to  expect  a large  outpouring  of  his  influences 
upon  all  flesh,  Joel  ii.  28.  These  influences,  as  we 
believe,  are  all  that  is  required  in  order  to  make  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  effectual  unto  salvation. 
These  influences  poured  out  upon  our  missionaries  and 
the  heathen  around  them,  would  speedily  renew  the  re- 
sults, if  not  the  actual  scenes,  of  the  day  of  Pentecost. 
These  influences  we  can  obtain  by  fervent,  united 


“ MONTHL  Y CONCERT ” MEETING. 


IOI 


prayer.  The  monthly  concert  prayer-meeting  gives 
us  the  opportunity.  And  as  the  spread  of  religion  in 
the  world  is  the  great  object  of  the  service,  it  seems 
to  be  evident  that  this  meeting  of  prayer  should  be 
maintained  until  the  world  is  converted. 

If  the  meeting  be  not  an  interesting  one,  the  reason 
will  probably  be  that  those  who  attend  it,  if  not  also 
those  who  take  part  in  its  services,  go  to  the  place  of 
prayer  with  unprepared  hearts.  It  is  probably  true 
that  the  services  of  this  meeting  are  oftentimes  un- 
happily conducted.  The  minister  has  allowed  him- 
self to  neglect  preparation  until  it  is  too  late  to  pre- 
pare ; and  there  are  few  men  who  can  make  any 
stated  service  amongst  the  same  people  edifying, 
when  they  trust  to  such  “ chance  thoughts  ” as  may 
come  to  their  help  while  the  service  is  in  progress, 
and  especially  if  they  have  “ trusted  to  the  occasion  ” 
for  suitable  thoughts  fifty  times  before.  Persons,  also, 
who  are  requested  to  offer  prayers  in  the  name  of 
their  brethren,  not  unfrequently  manifest  a singular 
forgetfulness  of  the  object  of  the  meeting  ; prayers 
are  sometimes  made  for  almost  every  other  good  ob- 
ject besides  the  one  which  has  brought  the  people 
together  ; and  it  occasionally  happens  that  the  same 
routine  of  subjects  and  even  of  phrases  is  gone  over 
for  the  second,  if  not  the  third  time,  during  the  same 
brief  service. 

Now  the  remedy  for  these  evils  is  two-fold — first, 
that  there  be  an  intelligent  sense  of  the  object  or 
purpose  for  which  this  prayer-meeting  is  held  ; it  is  to 
call  on  the  all-powerful,  all-gracious  God  to  spread  his 


102 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


blessed  religion  amongst  men,  and  especially  amongst 
the  heathen  and  other  anti-Christian  nations  ; and 
second,  that  there  be  a serious  and  careful  prepara- 
tion made  beforehand  for  this  service — a preparation 
which  shall  have  immediate  reference  to  the  duties 
devolving  on  each  person  respectively,  whether  of 
conducting  the  service,  offering  prayers  in  the  name 
of  the  meeting,  or  only  uniting  in  the  prayers  pre- 
sented by  other  persons. 


XXVI. 

GRACE,  NOT  RACE,  IN  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 

We  are  becoming  accustomed  to  hear  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  race  lauded  as  the  main  agency  in  the  spread 
of  the  Gospel.  Its  energy  and  enterprise  are  ex- 
pected to  furnish  the  missionaries  and  the  means  of 
their  support.  By  this  race  is  meant  the  English- 
speaking  people,  chiefly  found  in  Great  Britain  and 
the  United  States.  This  boasting  of  their  missionary 
zeal  is  ill-sustained  by  comparing  their  work  with  that 
of  Christian  brethren  on  the  Continent.  The  sup- 
porters of  the  Basle,  the  Rhenish,  and  other  Euro- 
pean societies,  in  proportion  to  their  numbers  and 
their  pecuniary  ability,  do  not  suffer  by  comparison 
with  their  English  and  American  friends,  while  the 
little  Moravian  Church  stands  unequalled.  Where 
can  better  missionaries  be  found  than  are  many  of 
those  who  have  been  sent  out  by  these  societies  ? 


GRACE,  NOT  RACE,  IN  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS.  103 


And  to  what  source  of  supply  in  the  future  may  we 
look  with  better  hope  than  to  the  piety  of  the 
Churches  in  these  European  countries,  when  they  are 
set  free  from  the  blight  of  rationalism  ? 

If  we  look  only  at  the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  then  we 
must  remember  that  it  has  two  phases.  Its  energy 
and  enterprise  have  been  signally  displayed  in  doing 
evil,  perhaps  even  more  than  in  doing  good.  Witness 
many  things  in  the  history  of  India,  the  two  invasions 
of  Afghanistan,  the  opium  war  with  China,  the  many 
broken  treaties  with  the  American  Indians,  and  the 
numberless  aggressions  and  injuries  inflicted  on  these 
Indians,  who,  as  a race,  are  equal  in  native  qualities, 
if  not  superior,  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  tribes  before  their 
conversion  to  Christianity.  Witness,  also,  the  demor- 
alization of  native  tribes  caused  by  English  and 
American  commerce,  in  many  instances,  through  in- 
toxicating liquors  and  ill  treatment  of  native  women. 
We  are  grateful  indeed  for  English-speaking  missions 
and  missionaries,  but  we  are  humble  when  we  think 
of  the  great  evils  that  have  marked  the  history  of  our 
countrymen,  and  of  our  kindred  people  across  the 
sea. 

To  reach  correct  views  of  Race  as  a factor  in  mis- 
sions, we  must  keep  in  mind  that  a race  is  made  up 
of  individuals,  and  all  its  people  are  descended  from 
fallen  parentage,  partake  of  a depraved  nature,  and 
tend  only  to  what  is  evil — unless  changed,  renewed, 
and  ennobled  by  divine  power.  It  is  the  open  Bible 
as  the  Word  of  God,  and  it  is  the  Spirit  of  God,  that 
must  qualify  any  race  to  be  useful  in  the  world  ; in- 


104 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


deed,  that  must  preserve  every  race  from  decay,  de- 
moralization, and  destruction.  There  is  nothing  in 
hereditary  blood  and  energy  to  save  it  from  the  sad 
history  that  has  been  written  of  many  nations.  In  a 
word,  it  is  hot  Race,  but  Grace,  that  is  to  bless  the 
world  in  Christian  missions.  And  divine  grace  may 
eventually  lift  up  ignorant  and  debased  races  in 
Africa  or  Asia  to  the  standing  now  occupied  by  peo- 
ple who  must  trace  their  ancestry  to  the  worshippers 
of  Woden.  Let  us  grant  that  energy  is  a great 
talent,  in  nations  or  in  individuals,  yet,  as  we  have 
seen,  its  exercise  may  be  injurious  as  well  as  beneficial. 
Saul  unconverted  went  forth  breathing  threatening 
and  slaughter,  but  as  converted  and  an  humble  fol- 
lower of  Christ,  Paul  was  an  unequalled  man  of  bless- 
ing to  Jews  and  Gentiles.  So  if  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race,  or  any  other  race,  become  ennobled  by  Chris- 
tian principles,  its  life  and  work  in  the  world  will  be 
the  means  of  great  good  to  the  people  of  all  lands. 


XXVII. 

LESS  FAVORED  RACES. 

No  considerations  of  race,  of  intelligence,  of  con- 
ventional culture,  are  of  much  account  in  our  mis- 
sionary views.  The  reader  of  such  a book  as  “ Four 
Years  in  Ashantee,”  by  a Swiss  missionary,  which  has 
been  lately  published,  will  be  distressed  by  the  terri- 
ble accounts  of  degradation  and  bloodshed  which  he 
describes.  These  Ashantees  are  not  polished,  inter- 


LESS  FA  VO  RED  RACES.  105 

esting  people,  such  as  many  account  the  inmates  of 
Hindu  zenanas,  or  many  of  the  Japanese,  the  Brah- 
mans, or  the  Mandarins.  Alas ! for  the  poor  Ashantee 
women  ! And  the  best  men  of  the  kingdom  are  re- 
pulsive savages  in  many  respects.  But  they  are  not 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  grace  of  God.  And  that 
grace  may  be  as  signally  displayed  in  the  lifting  up  of  a 
downtrodden  race  as  in  the  conversion  of  Brahmans, 
or  Madarins,  perhaps  in  a far  more  signal  manner.  So, 
too,  of  declining,  expiring  tribes,  such  as  we  are  told 
our  American  Indians  are  ; a book  has  been  printed, 
and  by  a Presbyterian  minister,  too — not  of  our  coun- 
try,— to  show,  among  other  things,  that  Missionary 
, Boards  make  a great  mistake  in  spending  their  funds 
on  tribes  that  are  “ dying  out.”  But  is  not  this  a 
wrong  way  to  put  the  case  ? If  they  are  not  to  con- 
tinue, but  must  pass  away,  the  more  do  they  need 
speedily  to  receive  the  knowledge  of  eternal  life.  As 
to  passing  by  the  degraded,  ignorant,  and  uncivilized 
races,  in  order  to  reach  those  who  are  in  some  degree 
intelligent,  polite,  and  civilized — well,  we  do  not  so 
understand  our  Lord’s  commandment.  This  respects 
“ every  creature,”  civilized  or  savage.  Neither  do  we 
so  understand  the  example  of  the  first  Christians. 
The  Apostle  Peter  might  have  made  a splendid  argu- 
ment for  the  Hebrews  as  the  main  people  to  be  first 
evangelized,  pointing  to  their  wonderful  history,  their 
unrivalled  geographical  position,  their  intellectual 
force,  their  widely-spread  settlements  in  other  coun- 
tries ; so  the  Apostle  Paul  might  have  spent  a part  of 
his  unequalled  eloquence  in  a plea  for  the  Greeks  as 
5* 


106  MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 

the  people  of  culture,  and  of  the  Romans  as  full  of 
energy.  But  how  little  do  we  find  in  the  first  mis- 
sionary records  of  ethnographic,  political,  commer- 
cial, conventional  ideas  as  motives  for  evangelizing 
labor ! We  ought  to  understand,  moreover,  the  lesson 
of  our  own  Anglo-Saxon  history ; where  were  men 
and  women  to  be  found  who  were  less  attractive  than 
the  early  inhabitants  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  ? 
The  same  Gospel  that  brought  them  to  their  present 
standing  can  change  the  people  of  Africa  and  make 
them  intelligent,  cultured,  devoted  Christians.  There 
may  be  a place,  a small  place,  in  our  thoughts  of  mis- 
sions for  ideas  of  secular  interest ; but  it  is  for  sinful, 
lost,  and  perishing  sinners  that  this  cause  has  its  ex- , 
istence.  And  it  is  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  that  we  are 
in  this  work.  May  our  faith  be  stronger  ! 


XXVIII. 

THE  PECUNIARY  SUPPORT  OF  MISSIONS. 

HOW  can  this  best  be  obtained — on  what  theory — 
by  what  agency  ? The  answer  is  short  and  satisfac- 
tory. It  is  on  the  theory  that  giving  money  to  sup- 
port missions  is  the  fruit  of  grace  in  the  heart ; while 
the  agency  or  means  of  cultivating  this  grace  is  the 
same  as  is  to  be  employed  for  the  life  and  growth  of 
any  other  Christian  grace.  The  word,  sacraments 
and  prayer,  the  providential  dealings  of  God  with  his 
people,  are  all  to  be  subservient  to  the  fruitfulness  of 


THE  PEC  UNIAR  Y S UP  POP  T OF  MISSIONS.  1 07 


the  Church  in  the  grace  of  giving,  just  the  same  as  in 
any  and  every  grace.  And  the  ministers  of  the 
Church,  aided  by  the  elders,  are  the  men  divinely  ap- 
pointed to  foster  this  and  every  other  grace.  If  these 
men,  especially  the  ministers,  are  faithful  to  the  duty 
to  which  Christ  has  called  them,  in  calling  them  to  be 
office-bearers  in  his  Church,  then  will  the  members  of 
the  Church  abound  in  this  grace  also.  And  as  well 
might  outside  men  be  employed  to  relieve  ministers 
of  any  other  part  of  their  work,  as  to  supersede  them 
in  this, — as  well  send  “ agents  ” to  preach  for  them 
on  faith,  or  to  administer  for  them  the  sacraments,  as 
to  take  their  place  when  a missionary  collection  is  to 
be  made.  They  may  indeed  avail  themselves  of  such 
special  assistance  as  Providence  places  within  reach,  to 
awaken  greater  interest  in  the  cause  of  Missions,  just 
as  they  would  for  any  other  part  of  their  own  work. 

On  this  true  theory,  not  only  ministers  - and  elders 
have  a duty  to  fulfil  in  promoting  the  exercise  of  this 
divine  grace  among  the  people  of  their  charge,  but 
church  courts,  having  the  oversight  of  both  ministers 
and  people,  should  watch  over  their  fidelity  in  this 
matter. 

These  views  being  correct,  we  see — 

I.  The  responsibility  of  ministers  and  church  offi- 
cers. No  imperative  reason  hindering,  is  no  collec- 
tion made  at  all  ? Or  is  the  collection  a small  one, 
because  the  people  have  not  been  fully  instructed 
touching  their  duty,  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  or 
because  they  have  not  had  the  means  of  knowing 
what  the  work  is,  and  what  are  its  needs,  its  encour- 


io8 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


agements,  its  prospects  ? Well,  thereby  Christ  is  not 
honored;  thereby  his  people  come  short  in  their  duty, 
and  lose  both  the  happiness  of  giving  and  the  prom- 
ised reward,  here  and  hereafter  ; thereby  souls  perish 
without  having  heard  of  the  way  of  salvation  ; there- 
by an  account,  momentous  in  its  nature,  is  to  be  ren- 
dered to  Christ  as  the  Judge  in  the  great  day.  We 
shrink  from  dwelling  on  these  truths.  We  gladly 
turn  our  thoughts  to  the  church  which  abounds 
in  this  grace,  giving  according  to  the  ability  of  its 
members,  giving  with  a cheerful,  loving,  prayerful 
spirit ; happy  the  minister,  happy  the  elders,  who 
can  point  to  such  fruits  of  grace  among  their  people  ! 
Happy  the  people  themselves  ! And  blessed  will  be 
their  work  for  Christ  here — more  blessed  hereafter 
and  forever  ! 

2.  An  explanation  of  the  unsatisfactory  Christian 
life  of  some  church  members.  They  live  in  the  ha- 
bitual neglect  of  one  grace,  the  grace  of  giving.  All 
the  members  of  the  body  suffer,  when  one  member 
suffers ; so  it  is  in  the  family  of  Christian  graces.  Let 
faith  be  neglected,  and  what  becomes  of  virtue  ? Let 
humility  be  unfelt,  and  what  becomes  of  meekness 
and  patience  ? Let  the  grace  of  giving  be  slighted, 
and  what  becomes  of  dependence  on  God,  of  grati- 
tude for  his  mercies,  of  compassion  for  the  destitute, 
of  love  to  the  Redeemer,  and  how  shall  a worldly  and 
a selfish  spirit  be  avoided  ? On  the  other  hand,  by 
“ abounding  in  this  grace  also”  there  shall  be  increase 
in  every  other  grace  and  in  all  good  things.  “ There 
is  that  scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth.” 


“OUR  COUNTRY  FOR  THE  WORLD.” 


109 


XXIX. 

“OUR  COUNTRY  FOR  THE  WORLD.” 

THIS  sermon  treats  of  a subject  of  no  ordinary 
interest.  There  is  a sense  in  which  we  should  seek 
the  salvation  of  our  country  for  the  sake  of  saving 
the  other  nations  of  the  earth,  just  as  there  is  a 
sense  in  which  a man  should  seek  his  own  salvation 
in  order  to  his  laboring  to  save  the  souls  of  his  fel- 
low-men. The  reason  is  good,  though  it  is  not  the 
main  reason  for  seeking  salvation,  either  for  one’s 
self  or  for  one’s  country.  It  may  be  a subject  of 
discourse,  provided  it  is  not  treated  in  such  a way  as 
to  give  it  an  undue  prominence. 

It  has  become  rather  common  of  late  years  to  put 
this  topic  forward  ; it  is  the  staple  of  many  sermons, 
reports,  addresses,  etc.  We  find  no  fault  with  the 
sermon  now  under  our  notice,  but  use  it  only  as  the 
occasion  of  asking  two  or  three  questions,  with  brief 
remarks,  on  the  general  subject  to  which  it  and 
similar  discourses  invite  our  attention. 

Is  it  not  difficult  to  treat  a subject  of  this  kind, 
without  saying  much  to  flatter  the  pride  and  vanity 
of  our  people  ? Certainly  we  all  know  how  easy  it  is 
to  glorify  a country  that  we  love  so  much  and  have 
so  much  reason  for  loving  as  our  own  ; but  we 
should  guard  against  too  lavish  praise,  and  recall 
seasonably  the  serious  reasons  which  exist  for  our 
being  humble.  If  we  become  filled  with  a high  con- 
ceit of  our  importance  as  a nation,  it  is  not  likely 


I IO 


MISSIONAR  V PAPERS. 


that  the  world  will  become  much  the  better  of  our 
greatness.  God  will  honor  humble  instruments. 

Is  the  effect  of  appeals  constructed  on  the  glori- 
fication plan  favorable  to  the  liberality  of  the  Church  ? 
We  should  suppose  not,  for  whatever  injures  the 
piety  must  also  injure  the  benevolence  of  Christians. 
Men  will  not  give  their  money  because  you  inflate 
them  with  a high  notion  of  their  own  important  posi- 
tion. Rather  let  them  feel  their  own  unworthiness  ; 
then  fix  their  minds  on  their  obligations  to  redeem- 
ing grace  ; afterwards  hold  up  before  them  spiritual 
and  eternal  realities.  The  result  will  be  humble  self- 
denying,  liberal  service  for  God  and  man. 

What  is  the  Scripture  example?  We  speak  now 
of  the  influence  of  nations  on  each  other, — how  is 
this  topic  presented  in  the  Bible  ? It  is  often  referred 
to  under  the  Jewish  dispensation  ; rarely,  we  appre- 
hend, under  the  Christian.  Under  the  former  the 
Israelites  were  reminded  of  their  peculiar  obligations 
to  serve  God,  but  always  in  such  terms  as  would  tend 
to  keep  them  humble.  Under  the  latter,  God  seems 
to  deal  with  men  less  as  nations  than  as  combined 
together  in  his  Church,  which  is  gathered  out  of  all 
nations.  It  would  have  been  very  easy  for  a Jewish 
Christian,  living  A.D.  38,  to  have  taken  up  his  parable, 
with  the  motto  before  his  mind’s  eye,  “ Our  Country 
for  the  sake  of  the  World.”  How  many  good  and 
strong  arguments  could  such  an  one  have  brought 
forward,  appealing  to  Jewish  history,  position,  influ- 
ence, glory ! How  forcibly  might  he  have  urged  his 
brethren  to  go  and  plant  churches  in  every  village, 


THE  WORLD  FOR  OUR  COUNTRY. 


1 1 1 


Christianize  the  whole  nation,  and  then  go  forth  and 
convert  the  world  — yes,  and  then  go  ! But  we  find 
no  topic  like  this  in  the  New  Testament.  And  we 
fi'nd  that  the  single  qualification  to  the  commandment 
to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  relates  to  the 
place  of  beginning,  not  of  ending,  nor  even  of  spend- 
ing their  mid-day  labors.  They  were  to  begin  at 
Jerusalem,  and  this  not  because  of  the  greatness  of 
the  Jewish  nation,  nor  even  because  of  their  own 
natural  feelings  as  Jews;  but,  as  Bunyan  shows  clearly 
enough  in  his  “Jerusalem  Sinner  Saved,”  because  the 
Jerusalem  sinners  were  “ the  biggest  sinners  that  ever 
were  in  the  world.”  The  Christian  Jew’s  topic,  there- 
fore, would  have  abased  and  not  inflated  his  hearers. 
Would  not  their  efforts  to  convert  the  world  have 
been  all  the  more  abundant  and  effective  ? 


XXX. 

THE  WORLD  FOR  OUR  COUNTRY. 

In  missionary  speeches  we  often  hear  the  saying, 
“ Our  country  for  the  world,”  as  presenting  a strong 
argument  for  the  duty  of  spreading  the  Gospel  in 
this  land.  Here  is  the  base  of  missionary  movement ; 
convert  our  countrymen,  and  then  you  will  convert 
the  world.  If  viewed  in  one  light  this  saying  is  true 
and  important ; not  much  will  be  done  for  the  con- 
version of  the  unevangelized  nations  by  our  people; 
if  our  country  falls  off  into  irreligion,  scepticism,  Ro- 


I 12 


MIS. ST ON  A R Y PAPERS. 


manism,  or  Broadchurchism.  Hence  we  all  agree  as 
to  the  great  importance  of  our  varied  work  of  Home 
Evangelization  ; no  wise  or  good  men  should  under- 
value or  disparage  it ; every  Christian  should  regard 
it  with  deep  sympathy. 

But  if  viewed  in  another  light— that  of  first  con- 
verting all  our  countrymen  before  we  try  to  convert 
the  world,  this  saying  is  without  warrant  either  in 
the  Scriptures  or  in  the  history  of  the  Church.  In 
this  sense,  it  can  not  be  reconciled  with  the  gen- 
eral tenor  of  the  Gospel,  some  of  its  great  doctrines, 
the  terms  of  the  last  commandment,  the  example  of 
the  primitive  Church,  nor  the  ways  of  Providence 
towards  the  nations.  We  boast  of  our  Anglo-Saxon 
race — its  energy  and  its  great  part  in  the  changes  of 
the  world  ; but  it  is  little  we  can  see  into  the  future. 
We  remember  the  old  Jewish  pride  of  race,  which 
was  quite  up  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  level  ; we  look  at 
its  central  position  in  the  then  known  world  ; we 
recollect  its  extraordinary  gifts  of  intellect  and  of 
energy ; we  think  of  its  wonderful  history  among  the 
nations  ; and  we  can  easily  see  how  the  first  Chris- 
tians, “beginning  at  Jerusalem,”  might  have  argued 
that  their  duty  was  to  convert  their  countrymen  be- 
fore going  abroad  to  convert  the  world.  Perhaps  the 
disciples  of  Christ  were  so  minded  at  first,  but  if  so, 
they  were  soon  taught  a better  lesson.  The  Jewish 
race  has  fallen  from  its  high  estate  ; but  we  hope  it 
will  be  restored  by  God’s  blessing  on  the  missionary 
labors  of  his  people. 

It  is  of  course  true  that  we  should  seek  the  salva- 


THE  WORLD  FOR  OUR  COUNTRY.  113 

tion  of  our  countrymen  for  the  sake  of  the  world  ; 
but  the  converse  is  also  true,  we  should  seek  the 
salvation  of  the  world  for  the  sake  of  our  country — 

• 1.  As  a means  of  neutralizing  or  remedying  cer- 
tain tendencies  to  evil  in  the  various  churches  them- 
selves. We  refer  now  to  the  narrow  and  absorbing 
claims  of  local  interests,  and  to  the  unamiable  de- 
nominational spirit  so  often  witnessed.  Local  ob- 
jects must  indeed  receive  attention,  and  there  is 
a true  denominational  spirit  which  is  to  be  cher- 
ished ; no  church  can  be  built  up  on  the  basis  of 
indifference  to  revealed  truth,  which  lies  at  the 
bottom  of  much  so-called  unionism.  But  often 
the  danger  lies  in  the  opposite  extreme,  and  a 
selfish  spirit  is  manifested  which  can  see  little  that 
is  good  outside  of  its  own  denomination  ; hence 
churches  are  planted,  and  supported  from  missionary 
funds  often,  in  towns  and  neighborhoods  already 
more  than  supplied  with  the  means  of  grace.  What 
is  more  discouraging  than  to  see  from  four  to  six  or 
eight  evangelical  churches  in  a small  town  of  station- 
ary or  declining  population  ? It  leads  irreligious 
persons  and  irregular  church-goers,  solicited  to  at- 
tend to  so  many  churches,  to  count  their  attendance 
a favor  to  these  rival  churches  ; and  it  ends  in  many 
cases  by  their  going  nowhere.  It  uses  up  too  many 
ministers  and  too  much  money  to  sustain  them,  and 
to  build  churches  which  can  never  be  filled.  We 
deplore  all  this,  while  we  sympathize  deeply  with 
those  of  our  brethren  who  are  laboring  in  such  places. 
We  need  not  here  consider  the  remedies  for  this  state 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


”4 

of  things,  but  we  think  that  if  our  Christian  people 
were  fully  engaged  in  the  great  work  of  missions 
abroad,  it  would  tend  to  correct  these  evils  in  some 
degree. 

It  would  do  this  in  several  respects — by  the  broader 
views  they  would  form  of  the  sphere  of  Christian  duty 
and  influence  ; by  the  deeper  sense  of  the  spiritual 
destitution  and  necessity  of  those  who  have  never 
•heard  of  Christ  ; by  the  experience  of  Christian 
graces,  required  and  fostered  in  their  efforts  to 
spread  the  Gospel  abroad  — the  faith  in  Christ,  love 
for  him,  self-denial  for  his  sake,  sense  of  his  presence, 
assurance  of  his  power  and  victory  over  the  nations. 
We  are  far  from  denying  that  these  graces  may  be 
developed  in  our  evangelistic  work  at  home,  but  in 
the  same  work  abroad  they  are  at  once  indispensable 
to  success  and  called  forth  in  a marked  degree. 
Now  all  this  bears  on  the  influence  and  power  of  the 
churches  at  home.  It  can  not  be  denied  that  causes 
of  deep  solicitude  arrest  the  thoughts  of  reflecting 
men  amongst  us.  How  can  we  best  guard  against 
acknowledged  public  evils  ? How  can  we  best  unite 
our  countrymen — our  colored  people,  our  Irish  Catho- 
lics, our  German  rationalists — in  the  common  bonds 
of  intelligence  and  virtue?  “We  have  heathen 
enough  at  home”  ; so  some  one  objected  to  the  late 
Bishop  Wilson,  of  Calcutta,  when  pleading  for  India 
in  England.  “Yes,  you  have,  but  it  is  only  mission- 
ary piety  that  can  save  them.” 

2.  As  a means  of  promoting  the  piety  and  devoted- 
ness of  our  Christian  people,  we  think  the  ideas  just 


THE  WORLD  FOR  OUR  COUNTRY.  115 

suggested  g°  far  to  show  that  the  cause  of  foreign 
missions  exerts  a benign  influence.  We  need  not 
enlarge  on  this  point. 

• 3.  As  a means  of  good  to  children  of  the  Church. 
This  cause  will  help  them  to  form  enlarged  views  of 
their  work  in  future  life.  Their  training  for  useful- 
ness will  be  on  the  plane  of  the  Gospel,  high,  noble, 
and  wide  as  the  world.  We  must  not  let  them  lose 
the  benefit  of  missionary  biographies  and  books  of 
travel,  the  manifold  influences  of  our  work  in  China, 
India,  Africa,  and  other  foreign  fields  of  labor.  We 
can  not  dwell  on  this,  nor  on — 

4.  The  connection  between  the  work  abroad  and 
the  spiritual  interests  of  its  friends  and  supporters  at 
home,  in  the  direct  blessing  thereby  given  to  them  by 
our  Lord.  Not  merely  does  this  work  react  on  the 
intelligence,  piety,  and  devotedness  of  the  churches 
of  this  land,  but  the  Saviour  fulfils  his  promise  to 
them  ; he  is  with  them  while  they  are  in  this  work, 
and  he  is  not  with  them  when  they  neglect  it.  What 
examples  of  this  might  be  given  ! Our  own  history 
as  a branch  of  the  Church  might  well  be  referred  to 
here.  See  how  all  our  home  interests  have  been 
prospered  since  we  entered  as  a Church  on  the  work 
of  foreign  missions.  If  the  growth  of  these  missions 
has  been  something  wonderful,  so  has  been  the  prog- 
ress of  our  varied  work  at  home,  following  the  for- 
mer, in  some  important  respects. 

Hence,  if  we  would  enjoy  prosperity,  even  the 
blessing  of  God,  on  the  sacred  interests  of  our 
churches  in  this  country,  we  must  cherish  the  work 


n6 


MI, S SI ON  A R Y PAPERS. 


of  missions  abroad.  Because  we  love  our  country, 
we  plead  for  the  foreign  work  of  the  Church.  We 
have  no  fears  that  any  of  its  home  interests  will  suf- 
fer loss  by  our  efforts  to  give  the  Gospel  to  other 
nations  ; we  seek  the  conversion  of  the  world  for  the 
sake  of  our  country. 


XXXI. 

THIRTY  MEETING-HOUSES,  Etc. 

“ For  example  : in  this  township  and  the  eight  adjoining  it, 
there  are  thirty  meeting-houses.  The  population  averages 
about  1,250  in  number  in  a township,  or  375  for  each  meeting- 
house. About  half  the  people  do  not  attend  public  worship  ; 
so  that  we  have  only  188  for  each  congregation,  or  37  fami- 
lies. If  half  the  members  of  these  families  attend  each  Sab- 
bath, we  have  audiences  of  93  persons  each.  Could  all  these 
houses  be  occupied  by  able  and  good  ministers,  the  audiences 
would  not  exceed  that  number.  Such  men  do  now  preach  in 
several  of  them  to  audiences  not  averaging  more  than  80 
persons.  This  vicinity  is  not  peculiar  in  this  thing.  There 
are  many  hundreds  of  places  in  essentially  the  same  situation 
in  respect  to  denominational  divisions.” — N.  V.  Observer, 
January  23,  1851. 

The  above  extract  is  taken  from  a correspondent  of 
the  Observer,  who  is  probably  one  of  the  thirty  min- 
isters. It  suggests  some  practical  thoughts  : 

1.  These  thirty  churches  can  do  but  little  for  the 
cause  of  benevolence.  Their  pecuniary  strength  must 
be  laid  out  mainly  in  supporting  their  own  ministers. 


THIR  T Y M EE  TING-HO  USES,  E TC. 


ii  7 

2.  These  thirty  ministers  must  often  feel  greatly 
disheartened.  They  preach  to  the  smallest  kind  of 
congregations.  And  they  are  no  doubt  sorely  tried 
with  many  a cross  from  undue  rivalry. 

3.  To  multiply  churches  and  ministers  is  not  always 
the  best  way  to  evangelize  a community  : “ About 
half  the  people  do  not  attend  public  worship.”  The 
relation  between  these  facts  is  worthy  of  deep  study. 

4.  There  are  too  many  ministers  in  these  nine  town- 
ships. Some  of  them  are  possibly  teachers  of  error 
— of  universalism  or  unitarianism,  and  should  not  be 
counted  as  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  But  doubtless 
most  of  them  preach  substantially  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,  and  they  can  not  be  all  needed  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  less  than  12,000  souls,  especially  as  one-half  of 
the  people  do  not  wish  to  be  instructed.  There  is  a 
limit  to  the  number  of  Gospel  ministers  that  should 
be  provided  for  a neighborhood  or  for  a nation.  We 
would  not  furnish  a church  to  every  little  hamlet,  nor 
a preacher  for  every  shade  of  religious  belief  in  a small 
community.  We  must  leave  men,  moreover,  in  mul- 
titudes of  cases,  just  where  they  put  themselves.  If 
they  can  hear  the  Gospel,  and  will  not — if  they  can 
attend  church,  and  will  not — what  is  to  be  done  ? 
What  could  the  Apostles  themselves  do  for  such  men  ? 

5.  How  can  either  the  men  or  the  funds  be  obtained 
for  the  work  abroad,  if  the  example  of  these  nine 
townships  and  their  thirty  churches  is  to  be  generally 
followed  ? And  is  not  this  the  tendency  of  things  in 
many  places?  We  may  know  communities  that  are 
not  so  numerously  supplied  with  religious  privileges  : 


U8 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


and  yet  we  know  others  that  are  ; and  others  still 
that  are  approaching  the  same  result.  It  is  a result 
that  is  disastrous  to  all  efforts  for  sending  the  Gospel 
to  those  who  have  never  heard  of  Christ  and  his 
salvation. 

The  subject  presented  in  this  example — the  exces- 
sive subdivision  of  congregations,  and  multiplying  of 
ministers  in  feeble  parishes  with  little  or  no  prospect 
of  much  growth,  and  often  requiring  aid  from  do- 
mestic missionary  funds — is  a large  one,  and  a diffi- 
cult one  in  some  of  its  aspects.  Its  general  bearings 
deserve  the  attention  of  reflecting  men.  Our  object 
is  gained,  in  pointing  out  its  ruinous  influence  on  all 
missionary  efforts,  outside  of  the  local  churches. 


XXXII. 

ON  “SLOWING”  THE  WORK  OF  FOREIGN  MIS- 
SIONS. 

One  of  our  leading  missionary  societies  not  long 
ago  deplored  the  fact  that  so  few  young  men  in  the 
Theological  Seminaries  of  its  denomination  were 
known  to  be  expecting  to  go  abroad  as  missionaries. 
Referring  to  this  statement,  a professor  in  one  of 
these  seminaries  published  several  articles,  not  to 
deny  the  alleged  fact,  but  partially  to  account  for  it. 
He  refers  to  the  great  work  to  be  done  in  this  coun- 
try, dwells  on  the  usual  topics  of  the  growth  of  our 
population,  the  influx  of  emigrants,  the  want  of  min- 
isters, and  amongst  other  things,  suggests  the  inquiry 


ON  "SLOWING"  THE  WORN.  119 

whether  an  advance  in  the  foreign  work  of  the  Church 
should  not  be  suspended,  if  this  is  necessary  to  the 
speedy  conversion  of  our  countrymen.  The  qualifi- 
cation should  be  noted — -if,  etc.,  but  it  may  be  feared 
that  most  readers  will  understand  the  general  drift  of 
the  papers  as  unqualified.  At  any  rate,  it  is  not  apparent 
why  this  inquiry  should  be  made,  when  out  of  48,000 
evangelical  ministers  in  the  churches  of  our  country, 
as  estimated  in  1877,  only  about  six  hundred  are  in 
the  foreign  field,  and  when  the  6,000,000  of  communi- 
cants in  our  churches  do  not  reach  in  their  gifts  to 
foreign  missions  the  average  of  one  cent  for  each  per 
week. 

Moreover,  before  “ slowing  ” the  great  work  abroad, 
it  would  be  well  to  consider  questions  of  re-arrange- 
ment  at  home.  Hundreds,  if  not  thousands  of  evan- 
gelical ministers,  and  a large  amount  of  domestic 
missionary  funds,  might  be  set  free  for  the  service  of 
destitute  places,  if  our  various  denominations  would 
agree  that  only  one  or  two  ministers  should  be  sup- 
ported in  each  small  and  not  growing  village  and 
town.  How  this  result  is  to  be  secured,  the  professor 
and  others  might  well  consider.  Indeed  no  greater 
question  calls  for  earnest  study  by  those  entrusted 
with  the  administration  of  evangelistic  work  in  our 
country,  than  how  to  prevent  the  misuse  of  funds 
and  the  embarrassment  of  ministers,  by  crowding 
them  into  small  places  already  occupied  by-a  sufficient 
number  of  evangelical  clergymen.  A young  friend  of 
the  present  writer  found  himself  commissioned  as  “ a 
home  missionary  ” in  a town  of  800  inhabitants,  with 


120 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


no  prospect  of  increase,  where  there  were  four  evangeli- 
cal ministers,  all  largely  supported  by  the  Boards  of 
their  respective  denominations.  But  apart  from  any 
statistical  questions,  we  may  well  say  that  the  sug- 
gested measure,  that  of  arresting  the  foreign  work, 
would  not  meet  the  case  ; we  all  believe  in  the  divine 
law  of  gracious  recompense — “ he  that  watereth  shall 
be  watered  also  himself.”  We  suppose  that  nobody 
doubts  the  beneficial  influence  of  foreign  missions  on 
the  churches  that  support  them.  To  stay  their  growth 
would  be  destructive  abroad  and  suicidal  at  home  ; 
certainly  destructive  abroad.  As  well  arrest  the 
growth  of  a family  of  children,  or  the  growth  of  the 
grain  of  mustard  seed,  when  it  is  becoming  a tree. 

With  this  brief  reference  to  the  merits  of  the  measure, 
we  might  leave  the  professor ; but  as  his  view  will  doubt- 
less influence  public  opinion, we  may  add  a few  remarks. 
Agreeing  cordially  with  many  things  in  them,  we 
must  express  non-concurrence  with  other  points. 
The  suggestion  that  our  foreign  missionaries  must  be 
sought  in  the  ranks  of  the  poor  rather  than  of  the  rich, 
is  to  be  deprecated.  We  have  no  “Seventh  Regi- 
ment ” in  our  ministerial  force  at  home  or  abroad  ; 
all  our  soldiers  are  men  redeemed  at  an  unspeakable 
price,  who  must  equally  say,  “ Here  am  I,  send  me.” 
In  actual  life  we  have  known  missionaries,  in  all  re- 
spects among  the  best,  who  were  men  of  considerable 
pecuniary  means,  and  some  who  were  men  of  large 
property ; but  their  comfortable  or  ample  income  did 
not  lessen  their  devotedness  to  their  Saviour  in  the 
every-day  labors  of  missionary  life  — indeed,  why 


ON  “ SLO  WING  ” THE  WORK. 


121 


should  it?  Nor  is  the  idea  that  men  of  inferior 
talents  and  education  will  answer  the  claims  of  the 
foreign  field  to  be  for  a moment  conceded.  Many  of 
the  ablest  men  in  the  ministry  of  the  American 
Church  have  found  the  amplest  scope  and  need  of  all 
their  abilities  in  the  work  abroad.  We  may  also  dis- 
sent from  the  idea  that  a whole  band  of  young  minis- 
ters, going  together  to  one  of  our  Western  States, 
would  be  more  useful  in  the  ministry  than  if  they  had 
gone  to  a foreign  country ; if  they  had  been  called  to 
go  to  Brazil  or  to  China,  might  not  their  usefulness 
have  been  simply  immeasurable  ? 

Passing  to  the  general  views  which  govern  the  sub- 
ject, we  remark — 

i.  The  question  of  duty  as  to  missionary  life  is  a 
personal  one.  In  the  professor’s  statements  stress  is 
laid  on  revivals  of  missionary  feeling,  on  “ waves  ” of 
missionary  influence,  coming  over  the  Seminary  at 
times,  and  leading  men  to  offer  themselves  as  laborers 
in  the  foreign  field.  How  much  weight  should  be 
given  to  such  general  impressions  we  do  not  know, 
but  we  must  still  remember  that  the  question  of 
duty  as  to  engaging  in  ..missionary  life  is  mainly  one 
between  the  soul  and  its  Saviour.  Lord,  what  wilt 
thou  have  me  to  do  ? Each  should  decide  this  ques- 
tion for  himself,  in  the  view  of  well-defined  reasons. 
Various  causes  prevent  many  persons  from  becoming 
missionaries.  For  a long  time  to  come,  probably, 
most  of  our  ministers  will  be  led  to  remain  in  this 
country,  and  we  shall  ever  bless  God  for  their  faithful 
labors  and  their  holy  lives  ; but  their  usefulness  and 
6 


122 


MISSIONAR  V PAPERS. 


comfort  will  not  be  lessened  by  their  having  fully  con- 
sidered the  question  of  personal  duty  as  to  the  place 
of  their  ministry,  whether  at  Gaboon  or  Canton,  or 
in  some  favored  home  parish.  Under  “ the  marching 
orders  ” of  the  Church,  how  can  they  know,  without 
such  examination  of  the  subject,  where  they  should 
spend  their  ministry  ? 

2.  Much  depends  on  the  leadings  of  Providence. 
These  statements  very  properly  refer  to  the  growth  of 
our  population  and  the  calls  for  laborers  in  many 
places.  Not  a syllable  should  be  said  to  weaken  the 
force  of  such  appeals  ; but  for  our  encouragement  we 
should  remember,  that  the  ratio  of  increase  during 
the  last  forty  years  in  the  number  of  evangelical 
ministers  in  this  country  has  far  outrun  that  of  the 
increase  of  our  population.  From  1830  to  1870,  the 
increase  of  the  former  is  fivefold  ; of  the  latter,  but 
threefold.  There  is  now  an  evangelical  minister  to 
every  800  souls,  on  the  average  ; in  1830,  one  to  every 
1350  souls.  2d.  While  this  favorable  result  has  been 
gained  in  the  past,  the  problem  of  ministerial  supply 
is  likely  to  be  less  difficult  in  the  future.  There  are 
other  views  still,  but  we  need, not  refer  to  them.  We 
have  hopeful  impressions  of  the  ministerial  supply  of 
our  country,  provided  only  the  ministers  are  of  the 
right  kind. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  should  remember  that  in 
these  forty  years,  wonderful  to  a degree  have  been 
the  open  doors  set  before  the  Church  in  many  unevan- 
gelized countries.  Recall  the  state  of  the  case  in 
1830 — Mexico.and  South  America,  unopened  ; West- 


ON  “ SLOWING"  THE  WORK. 


123 


ern  Africa,  ravaged  by  the  slave  trade ; Western 
Asia,  Persia,  the  larger  part  of  India,  Siam,  China, 
Japan,  all  closed  against  missionary  labors;  France 
arid  Italy,  inaccessible ; but  now  and  for  years  past 
all  this  is  changed.  Coupled  with  this  is  the  change 
in  the  connection  of  the  nations  with  each  other,  so 
that  now  China  and  Japan  are  our  near  neighbors. 
We  can  go  to  these  countries  now  in  a few  weeks, 
fewer  than  the  months  previously  required  for  the 
voyage.  No  thoughtful  observer  of  Providence  will 
overlook  these  changes,  nor  their  immediate  bearing 
on  the  duty  of  the  Church.  As  to  what  may  be 
called  personal  leadings  of  Providence,  we  do  not  here 
enter  on  the  consideration  of  them. 

3.  Scripture  views  must  be  held  as  mainly  decisive 
in  questions  of  missionary  duty.  1st.  The  heathen 
are  sinful,  lost,  and  perishing,  and  must  now  or  very 
soon  hear  the  Gospel,  if  they  are  ever  to  hear  it  ; each 
one  of  them  is  now  passing  on  to  his  last  day  of  hope. 
We  fear  that  their  deplorable  condition  is  not  suffi- 
ciently laid  to  heart,  nor  the  rule  of  doing  to  them  as 
we  would  be  done  by,  if  they  were  in  our  case  and 
we  in  theirs,  sufficiently  considered.  2d.  The  last 
commandment  of  our  Lord,  as  it  was  understood  by 
his  first  disciples,  is  still  the  law  of  the  Church,  and 
our  personal  relation  to  our  Saviour  is  a strong  incen- 
tive to  obedience.  3d.  Duty  is  ours,  not  results,  but 
we  do  not  labor  in  vain  ; the  blessed  prospect  of  the 
redemption  of  all  nations  sustains  our  hope.  4th.  In 
the  meantime,  loyal  to  our  beloved  country,  and  in 
full  sympathy  with  all  our  brethren  at  home,  we  and 


124 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


they  believe  that  “there  is  that  scattereth  and  yet  in- 
creaseth.”  These  and  other  Scripture  views  of  the 
subject  are  greatly  important.  Let  them  be  held  by 
our  Christian  people,  let  them  be  earnestly  considered, 
and  there  will  be  no  want  of  missionaries  and  of 
means  for  their  support. 

As  to  preaching  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  it  is  a 
work  only  begun  in  most  countries.  With  large  re- 
sources of  men  and  means,  our  churches  may  well  go 
forward  in  its  support.  Any  retrograde  movement, 
even  any  halt  in  the  march,  must  not  be  thought  of. 
To  stand  still  in  this  cause,  or  to  attempt  to  stay 
its  speed,  would  be  not  only  a great  wrong  to  souls 
that  are  in  darkness,  but  it  would  be  the  sure  and 
certain  way  of  losing  the  Saviour’s  presence.  We  can 
not  doubt  that  while  we  go  on  in  this  work  our 
Saviour  is  going  before  us,  by  his  Providence  and  by 
his  Spirit  and  fulfilling  to  us  his  blessed  promise, 
“ Lo,  I am  with  you  alway,  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world.” 


XXXIII. 

“MERE  PREACHERS  AND  TEACHERS.” 

“ CAN  not  something  be  devised  that  will  work 
better?”  A religious  newspaper,  which  is  taken  to 
some  extent  in  our  Sabbath-schools,  recently  con- 
tained an  editorial  article  on  the  missionary  work 
from  which  the  above  quotation  is  taken,  and  we 
are  asked  what  we  think  of  this  article  ? 


MERE  PREACHERS  AND  TEACHERS."  125 


Let  us  state  its  purport,  briefly,  but  fairly.  It 
speaks  with  high  commendation  of  the  existing  mis- 
sionary plans  of  the  Christian  Church,  but  suggests 
that  they  are  matters  of  routine,  and  show  no  im- 
provement in  fifty  years  ; that  they  are  doing  a great 
work,  indeed,  but  “do  not  meet  the  exigencies  of  the 
case  with  that  rapidity  which  the  pious  heart  craves”  ; 
that  the  “ methods  of  benevolence  ” are  far  behind 
those  of  commerce,  even  as  an  old  road  wagon  falls 
behind  a railway  train ; and  then  the  editor  intro- 
duces with  praise  the  views  of  an  English  writer,  who 
would  turn  the  enterprise  of  business  men,  capital- 
ists, planters,  and  manufacturers  into  the  line  of  mis- 
sionary work. 

This  abstract  of  the  article  in  question  conveys  a 
general  idea  of  its  drift;  but,  to  avoid  doing  injustice 
to  its  author,  we  would  add,  that  he  writes  profess- 
edly in  aid  of  missions  as  now  conducted,  not  intend- 
ing to  hinder  their  progress.  He  is  their  friend,  but 
he  wants  something  more  and  something  better. 

Now,  we  like  the  practical  lesson  that  - Christian 
men  ought  to  do  good,  as  they  have  opportunity, 
in  whatever  foreign  place  they  may  engage  in  busi- 
ness— whether  among  heathens,  Mohammedans,  or 
Romanists.  They  might  in  some  cases  go  abroad 
for  this  purpose.  There  have  been  such  examples, 
and  they  might  be  multiplied.  As  to  colonising 
Christianity  among  a heathen  people,  however,  or 
forming  “ industrial  settlements  ” among  them,  espe- 
cially in  countries  of  dense  population,  so  many 
things  must  concur  to  make  them  successful,  that  it 


126 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


will  seldom  be  found  practicable  to  establish  them  ; 
but  on  this  we  forbear  to  enter.  We  approve,  more- 
over, of  turning  to  account,  as  far  as  expedient,  all 
modern  facilities  for  carrying  on  the  missionary  work ; 
and  this  is  done  by  missionary  institutions,  as  well- 
informed  men  of  course  know. 

But  we  dissent  altogether  from  the  idea  implied  in 
this  article,  that  adherence  to  the  existing  type  of 
missionary  labor  is  inconsistent  with  the  best  prog- 
ress. To  preach  and  to  teach  are  the  distinctive 
features  of  modern  missions.  They  are  more  than 
“ fifty  years  ” old,  dating  back  in  the  days  when  our 
blessed  Lord  was  on  earth,  and  exemplified  by 
the  Apostles.  These  means,  and  the  sending  forth 
of  the  Bible,  are  leavening,  seed-sowing  agencies. 
They  may  not  attract  notice  by  loud  rumbling  sounds 
or  noisy  wheel-work,  but  powerful  agencies  are  often 
silent,  like  the  rays  of  the  sun  or  the  movement  of 
the  tide.  These  means  are  divinely  appointed.  The 
power  of  God  attends  them.  The  results  produced 
by  them  in  the  last  half  century  are  the  same  in  kind, 
and  often  as  signal  in  degree,  as  in  the  primitive  age 
of  the  Church.  Let  us  beware  of  unbelief,  in  not 
expecting  the  greatest  results  from  preaching  and 
teaching  ; let  us  be  reminded  that  the  world  is  to  be 
converted,  “ not  by  might  nor  by  power,  but  by  my 
Spirit,  saith  the  Lord.”  The  true  ground  of  hope 
for  success  is  not  the  invention  of  new  methods  of 
benevolence,  but  the  promises  of  God,  the  presence 
of  the  Saviour  with  his  servants,  and  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  poured  forth  as  on  the  day 


NA  TI VE  LANG  UA  GE  INDISPENSABLE.  1 27 


of  Pentecost — all  this  interposition  of  the  Almighty 
being  graciously  connected  with  the  prayers  and  la- 
bors of  his  people  ; and  these  labors,  as  we  believe, 
•should  consist  mainly  in  preaching  and  teaching,  now 
as  ever,  from  the  beginning  of  Christianity.  Indeed, 
we  have  always  regarded  the  use  of  the  same  means 
in  heathen  as  in  Christian  countries,  in  promoting 
the  extension  of  the  Gospel,  as  one  of  the  strong 
things  of  the  missionary  work.  God  will  make  them 
effectual  in  the  accomplishment  of  his  gracious  pur- 
poses. We  may  add,  that  for  all  we  can  see,  the  dis- 
paraging implication  of  this  article  bears  as  strongly 
against  preaching  and  teaching  here  at  home  as  in 
the  missions  abroad. 


XXXIV. 

LEARNING  THE  NATIVE  LANGUAGE  INDISPEN- 
SABLE TO  MISSIONARIES. 

We  take  some  forcible  remarks  on  this  subject 
from  a letter  of  a gentleman  of  large  missionary  ex- 
perience and  attainments.  His  letter  was  not  writ- 
ten for  publication,  and  therefore  we  withhold  his 
name,  but  with  some  regret,  as  it  would  add  much 
to  the  weight  of  the  opinions  here  expressed.  Cer- 
tainly, all  missionaries,  women  as  well  as  men,  should 
learn  the  language  of  the  people  amongst  whom  they 
live  and  labor.  Their  highest  usefulness  requires 
this  knowledge  ; so  does  their  comfort  in  their  inter- 
course with  the  natives  ; and  so  also  does  their  sym- 


128 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


pathy  with  them  in  the  manifold  circumstances  of 
life.  Without  such  knowledge,  no  one  should  long 
remain  on  missionary  ground.  Whether  Missionary 
Boards  do  or  do  not  enter  into  formal  agreement  with 
the  missionaries  as  to  their  making  this  acquirement 
within  a reasonable  time,  the  obligation  to  learn  the 
language  is  sacred  ; so  much  so,  that  express  stipula- 
tions ought  not  to  be  needed  in  the  case.  It  belongs 
to  the  common  law  of  the  subject.  Our  correspond- 
ent says : 

“ I am  clearly  of  opinion,  that  [in  no  case]  should 
the  trial  be  too  prolonged.  If  in  two  or  three  years 
at  the  most,  a new  missionary  has  not  acquired  a 
pretty  free  use  of  the  language  for  speaking  pur- 
poses, as  well  as  the  reading  of  plain  books,  I should 
conclude  that  he  has  mistaken  his  vocation.  With- 
out this  degree  of  acquirement,  it  is  impossible  for 
him  to  command  the  attention  and  reach  the  mind 
of  the  people. 

“In  the  Society  new  missionaries  are  sub- 

jected to  an  examination  and  their  progress  reported 
— an  arrangement  which  we,  I think,  might  well 

adopt  with  advantage Let  it  be  understood 

that  they  are  taken  on  trial,  and  that  some  committee 
[of  older  missionaries],  whom  you  may  designate, 
will  examine  them  and  report  to  you  after  the  lapse 
of  a year. 

“ The Society  have  but  few  men  in , but 

‘there  is  not  one  feeble  amongst  them.’  Not  only 
have  they  stood  conspicuous  for  literary  activity,  but 
their  churches  are  always  among  the  most  prosperous 


NA  TI VE  LANG  UA  GE  INDISPENSABLE.  1 29 


at  their  respective  stations.  [Our  correspondent  here 
enumerates  the  names  of  several  respected  mission- 
aries of  the  Society  to  which  he  refers,  and  gives 
some  notices  of  their  successful  work ; and  then  he 
continues :] 

“ This  marked  contrast  with  the  greater  numbers 
and  inferior  efficiency  of  the  agents  of  other  societies 
is  no  doubt  owing  in  the  first  place  to  a careful  selec- 
tion of  the  men  who  are  sent  into  the  field,  and  then 
to  the  fact  that  a high  standard  of  attainments  is 
required  of  them.  No  young  man  should  be  sent  to 
this  country  who  has  not  the  requisite  talents  to 
make  him  either  a city  preacher  or  a college  profes- 
sor if  he  should  remain  at  home.  It  is  not  numbers, 
but  ability  that  we  want,  backed  up  of  course  by 
piety  — without  which  the  candidate  might  be  sent 

of  men,  but  not  of  God.  Mr. , of  the Board, 

and  I have  talked  much  of  this  subject,  and  he  has 
urged  me  to  write  my  views  more  fully  for  the  bene- 
fit of  other  societies  than  my  own.  This  I may  do 
at  another  time,  but  just  as  the  mail  is  closing  I jot 
down  these  hasty  lines  apropos  to  the  subject  of  the 
letter.” 

We  commend  these  views,  which  are  evidently  well 
matured,  even  if  hastily  written,  to  the  consideration 
especially  of  all  our  friends  who  are  called  on  to 
recommend  candidates  for  appointment  as  mission- 
aries. The  Board  must  necessarily  depend  very  much 
in  these  cases  on  the  recommendations  of  pastors, 
professors,  and  other  Christian  friends.  We  should 
understand  our  respected  correspondent  not  as  im- 
6* 


3° 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


plying  that  ministers  in  other  stations  in  the  Church 
may  not  be  quite  equal  to  men  of  the  classes  speci- 
fied, or  even  superior  to  many  of  them  ; but  merely 
as  indicating  a general  grade  of  ability  and  scholar- 
ship. We  suppose  the  true  aim  of  the  Church 
should  be  to  appoint  as  missionaries  those  only  who 
appear  to  be  called  to  this  work,  so  far  as  this  can 
be  learned  from  the  Providence,  Word,  and  Spirit  of 
God  ; in  other  words,  to  choose  those  whom  God  has 
chosen  for  it.  And  in  some  cases,  it  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  men  of  humble  promise  reach  the  high- 
est degrees  of  usefulness,  like  the  celebrated  Dr. 
Milne  in  China.  All  missionary  fields,  moreover,  do 
not  require  the  same  grades  of  ability,  scholarship, 
etc.  ; and  in  some,  there  are  different  departments  of 
labor,  not  requiring  equal  gifts,  though  all  needing 
the  gift  of  a native  tongue  ; and  surely  all  do  need 
the  deepest  and  the  highest  attainments  of  piety. 


XXXV. 

WHERE  TO  LEARN  A LANGUAGE. 

SHOULD  missionaries  learn  the  language  of  the 
people  to  whom  they  are  to  be  sent,  before  leaving 
this  country  ? In  favor  of  their  doing  so,  may  be 
reckoned  their  being  with  friends,  their  being  at  less 
expense,  their  living  in  a healthy  climate,  etc.  As 
to  the  climate,  however,  in  the  United  States  of  Co- 
lombia, Brazil,  Syria,  Persia,  India,  Siam,  China,  and 


WHERE  TO  LEARN  A LANGUAGE.  131 

Japan,  if  a man  has  a constitution  suited  to  it,  he 
will  live  as  long  probably  there  as  here. 

On  the  other  hand  1 st,  it  is  difficult  to  learn  a lan- 
guage, so  as  to  speak  it  well,  and  to  understand  it 
when  spoken,  unless  it  is  studied  among  the  people 
who  use  it, — to  say  nothing  of  the  risk  of  forming 
bad  habits  of  pronunciation,  erroneous  idioms,  etc. 
2d,  Time  will  in  most  cases  be  saved  by  going  at  once 
into  the  midst  of  the  people  ; indeed,  missionaries 
often  retard  their  acquisition  of  the  much-coveted 
gift  by  staying  in  the  study  when  they  ought  to 
be  mingling  with  the  natives.  Of  both  the  preced- 
ing points,  we  have  many  examples  here  at  home. 
Uneducated  Germans  and  others  often  learn  our  lan- 
guage soon  and  well  after  they  come  to  this  coun- 
try ; and,  on  the  other  hand,  even  our  bright  youths 
have  to  spend  a long  time  here  in  learning  French 
or  German  before  they  can  speak  it.  Missionaries 
commonly  make  considerable  progress  in  acquiring 
the  native  language  in  a year  at  their  stations,  more 
perhaps  than  they  would  make  in  two  years  at  home. 

3 d,  Among  the  people,  the  missionary  is  daily  learn- 
ing other  things  besides  their  language  — things  V 
hardly  less  useful  to  him  in  his  work,  such  as  the 
character,  the  ideas,  the  ways,  etc.,  of  those  whose 
salvation  he  has  come  to  seek.  Every  day  should 
be  turned  to  good  account  in  this  respect.  4 th,  Ex- 
perience is  on  this  side  of  the  question.  The  school 
for  missionary  candidates  at  Rome,  which  has  been 
cited,  is  not  a case  in  point ; its  pupils  have  other  ob- 
jects before  them  than  to  learn  the  language  of  the 


132 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


heathen  ; indeed,  this  is  already  in  most  cases  their 
native  tongue.  In  England,  however,  there  were  two 
schools,  long  kept  up,  for  the  education  of  the  civil 
and  military  servants  of  the  East  India  Company. 
These  were  provided  with  accomplished  teachers  and 
the  best  facilities  for  the  study  of  the  Hindu  lan- 
guages, and  no  expense  was  spared  to  make  them 
efficient  ; but  the  results  were  not  altogether  satis- 
factory, and,  we  believe,  the  schools  have  been  given 
up.  The  tenor  of  the  experience  of  most  missionary  in- 
stitutions need  not  be  dwelt  on.  Other  considerations 
might  be  mentioned,  but  we  only  add,  that  if  a mis- 
sionary can  have  a competent  teacher,  it  may  be  very 
well  for  him  to  make  a beginning  and  to  acquire  a gen- 
eral knowledge  of  the  language.  He  should  remind 
himself,  however,  both  at  first  and  afterwards,  that 
“ a book  knowledge  ” of  the  language  will  be  of  little 
practical  use  in  his  intercourse  with  the  people. 

A further  question  as  to  learning  the  language  is 
sometimes  asked  — whether  a missionary  would  not 
acquire  it  sooner  by  going  out  unmarried  ? And 
some  missionary  societies  act  on  the  affirmative  reply, 
sending  their  missionaries  out  as  single  men,  to 
remain  unmarried  for  a certain  period.  The  wisdom 
of  this  rule,  as  one  of  general  use,  is  not  evident. 
Cases  no  doubt  occur  in  which  an  unmarried  man 
would  make  better  progress  than  if  he  were  hindered 
by  family  cares.  The  usage  commonly  adopted  in 
our  colleges  and  professional  schools,  that  of  un- 
married life,  may  be  referred  to  as  in  this  line.  But 
new  missionaries  have,  in  most  instances,  reached  older 


133 


0 

WHERE  TO  LEARN  A LANGUAGE. 

years  and  greater  maturity  than  college  students.  If 
under  thirty  years  of  age,  a man  of  respectable  talents 
and  of  good  application,  provided  he  has  ordinary 
linguistic  ability,  and  in  some  languages  provided  he 
has  also  an  ear  to  distinguish  clearly  between  different 
sounds,  may  hope  to  succeed  in  learning  to  speak  a 
foreign  tongue  within  a reasonable  time,  not  over  two 
or  three  years,  in  some  cases  less,  in  other  cases  more. 
No  attainment  less  than  this  should  satisfy  a mission- 
ary board  or  the  missionary  himself.  No  laborer  in 
the  missionary  field  should  be  content  with  merely 
dabbling  in  English  in  his  work  for  the  heathen. 
The  gift  of  tongues  is  one  of  great  price  in  its  every- 
day use.  All  due  care  should  be  taken  previous  to 
the  appointment  of  any  one  as  a missionary,  to  guard 
against  disappointment  as  to  his  making  this  acqui- 
sition. A report  of  progress  should  be  called  for  at 
the  end  of  each  year,  which,  if  not  satisfactory,  should 
result  in  his  recall.  But  disappointment  will  be  sel- 
dom met  with  in  the  cases  of  those  who  have  made 
satisfactory  attainments  at  college  and  the  theolog- 
ical seminary,  and  who  enter  on  further  studies  with 
the  conscientious  endeavor  which  becomes  every  one 
who  goes  abroad,  to  make  men  hear  in  their  own 
“ tongues  the  wonderful  works  of  God.”  Such  hon- 
est and  earnest  purpose  and  effort  will  count  for  far 
more  than  any  regulation-rule  on  this  subject. 


134 


Al IS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


XXXVI. 

TRANSLATING  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

SCARCELY  any  duty  of  the  Christian  missionary  is 
more  important  than  that  of  translating  the  Word  of 
God  into  the  language  of  the  people  among  whom  he 
labors,  and  hardly  any  is  more  difficult. 

It  requires  a mind  deeply  imbued  with  the  spirit  of 
the  Bible,  a thorough  knowledge  of  the  meaning  of 
Sacred  Scripture,  a perfect  command  of  the  language 
into  which  the  translation  is  to  be  made,  and  habits 
of  patient  and  discriminating  study,  to  make  a man  a 
good  translator.  The  first  two  of  these  qualifications 
are  a part  of  every  missionary’s  preparation  for  his 
work ; the  last  is  a rarer  attainment  than  most  persons 
would  at  first  thought  believe,  and  as  valuable  as  it  is 
rare.  Perfect  knowledge  of  any  language  can  perhaps 
never  be  acquired  by  a foreigner.  He  may  learn  the 
general  meaning  of  words  and  the  grammatical  struct- 
ure of  the  language ; but  the  associations  connected 
with  words,  the  shades  of  thought  expressed  by 
them,  the  emphasis  of  due  arrangement,  can  hardly 
be  fully  appreciated  by  any  other  than  a well-educated 
native.  The  best  translation,  therefore,  of  the  Script- 
ures into  any  language,  the  common  or  authorized 
version,  must  be  made  by  pious  and  learned  natives — 
themselves  masters  of  the  original  Hebrew  and  Greek, 
and  perfectly  at  home  in  their  own  speech.  Such 
were  the  translators  of  our  English  Bible — a version 


TRANSLATING  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


135 


acknowledged  by  all  competent  judges  to  be  of  the 
greatest  excellence. 

But  though  missionaries  can  not  hope  to  make  the 
best  version,  they  can  yet  translate  the  Word  of  God 
with  so  much  accuracy  as  to  be  of  great  benefit  to  its 
readers.  The  leading  truths  of  Christianity  are  so 
clear  and  shining,  that  their  light  will  penetrate 
through  the  mists  and  clouds  of  imperfect  transla- 
tions, and  men  can,  and  in  many  countries  do,  read  in 
their  own  tongues  the  wonderful  works  of  God. 
When  missionaries  have  learnt  the  native  language, 
have  become  familiar  with  its  use  from  preaching  and 
talking  to  the  natives,  and  have  long  observed  how 
the  natives  themselves  use  it,  they  are  then  prepared 
in  some  degree  to  translate  the  Scriptures.  This 
work  may  be  done  in  concert,  by  conventions  of  ex- 
perienced missionaries ; but  probably  it  would  be 
better  done  by  separate  action,  as  it  was  by  Wicliffe, 
Varela,  Yates,  and  others.  Then,  after  fair  trial  of 
the  translation  for  some  years,  it  might  be  subjected 
to  revision  by  a company  of  well-qualified  men,  es- 
pecially native  scholars,  as  in  the  case  of  the  author- 
ized English  version  of  A.D.  1611. 

These  remarks  have  been  suggested  by  looking  into 
the  English  Hexapla,  or  the  six  principal  versions  of 
our  English  New  Testament.  We  give  a quotation 
below  from  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke,  ii.  13,  14,  to  illus- 
trate the  variations  to  be  found  in  translations,  which 
on  the  whole  are  good.  The  attentive  reader  will 
notice  that  the  sense  is  quite  affected  by  some  of 
them,  and  even  by  the  pointing.  This  extract  is  in- 


136 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


teresting,  also,  as  showing  the  changes  in  the  spelling 
of  words  and  the  use  of  capital  letters,  which  occur 
in  the  course  of  a few  centuries.  The  changes  in  the 
shape  and  figure  of  the  letters  are  not  less  great,  but 
the  type  to  exhibit  them  is  not  readily  available. 

Wiclif — 1380. 

and  sudeynli  there  was  made  with  the  aungel  a 
multitude  of  heuenli  knygthod ; heryinge*  god  and 
seiynge,  glorie  be  in  the  higest  thingis  to  god : and  in 
erthe  pees  be  to  men  of  good  wille. 

[*  Praising]. 

Tyndale — 1534. 

And  streight  waye  ther  was  with  the  angell  a mul- 
titude of  hevenly  sowdiers,  laudynge  God  and  say- 
inge  : Glory  to  God  an  hye,  and  peace  on  the  erth  : 
and  vnto  men  reioysynge. 

Cranmer — 1539. 

And  streyght  waye  ther  was  with  the  angell  a mul- 
titude of  heauenly  sowdyers,  praysing  God  : and  say- 
inge : Glory  to  God  on  hye,  and  peace  on  the  erth, 
and  vnto  men  a good  wyll. 

Geneva — 1557. 

And  strayghtway  there  was  with  the  Angel  a mul- 
titude of  heauenly  souldiers,  laudyng  God,  and  saying, 
Glorie  be  to  God  in  the  hye  heauens,  and  peace  in 
earth,  and  towards  men  good  wyl. 


TRANSLATING  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


137 


Rheims — 1582. 

And  sodenly  there  was  with  the  Angel  a multi- 
tude of  the  heauenly  armie,  praising  God,  and  saying, 
Glorie  in  the  highest  to  God : and  in  earth  peace  to 
men  of  good  vvil. 

Authorized — 161 1. 

And  suddenly  there  was  with  the  Angel  a multi- 
tude of  the  heauenly  hoste  praysing  God,  and  saying, 
Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace, 
good  wil  towards  men. 


XXXVII. 

MISSIONARIES  TRANSLATING  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

One  of  our  missionaries  in  the  East,  feeling  strongly 
the  trouble  of  the  Board  as  to  funds,  inquired  why 
the  senior  member  of  his  mission,  who  is  largely 
though  not  exclusively  engaged  in  the  work  of  trans- 
lating the  Sacred  Scriptures,  should  not  be  placed  on 
the  funds  of  the  Bible  Society  for  his  support.  This 
question-called  for  an  answer,  which  is  here  inserted 
for  the  consideration  of  readers  not  then  in  view. 

“At  first  blush,  this  [proposed  transfer]  might  seem 
to  be  a good  thing ; but  the  more  you  think  of  it  the 
less  you  will  like  it,  as  it  seems  to  me.  So  far  as 
saving  our  mission  funds  is  concerned,  it  is  a two- 
edged  thing,  and  its  sharpest  edge  would  cut  away 


138 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


much  of  the  ground  on  which  our  cause  rests.  As 
it  is  now,  we  say  to  our  churches  that  some  of  our 
brethren  are  translating  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and 
funds  are  heeded  for  their  support.  We  have  been 
supporting  them  for  fifteen  or  more  years  until  now 
they  are  qualified  for  this  important  part  of  mis- 
sionary work.  It  is  just  the  right  sequel  to  add  that 
we  are  still  supporting  them  while  engaged  in  it.  But 
hand  them  over  to  the  Bible  Society,  and  you  hand 
over  the  basis  of  your  appeal ; and  you  also  confuse 
the  attention  of  our  friends  by  opening  the  door  to 
appeals  from  another  society  for  our  work.  We  should 
certainly  lose  far  more  than  we  should  save,  by  en- 
abling the  society  to  say,  ‘We  are  supporting  Dr. 

, or  Mr. , or  any  other  good  missionary  of 

the  Presbyterian  Board,  and  we  want  funds  for  this 
purpose.’ 

“ But  there  are  weightier  reasons. 

“ i.  The  missionaries  so  employed  are  doing  mis- 
sionary work,  pure  and  simple.  Why  turn  it  over  to 
a society  not  organized  for  missionary  purposes  ? 

“ 2.  They  can  and  they  should  at  the  same  time  be 
doing  other  kinds  of  missionary  work,  such  as  the 
Bible  Society  could  not  well  support. 

“ 3.  They  should  do  this  work  and  all  their  work 
in  close  connection  with  the  other  brethren  of  their 
own  mission,  and  not  virtually  independent  of  them. 

“ 4.  The  supervision  of  their  work  of  translation 
can  in  most  cases  be  better  secured  by  their  own  mis- 
sion and  Board  than  by  the  Bible  Society.  Indeed, 
it  deserves  consideration  whether  the  Bible  Society 


ON  TRANSFERRING  “ BAPTIZO!' 


139 


should  engage  in  the  work  of  translating  the  Sacred 
Scriptures.  Its  selection  of  the  best  translation,  after 
conference  with  men  who  are  well  acquainted  with 
the  language,  and  its  work  in  the  circulation  of  the 
Scriptures,  are  of  the  greatest  moment,  and  properly 
belong  to  its  charge. 

“5.  I think  the  best  translations  have  been  made 
by  missionaries,  who  work  in  the  line  and  with  the 
support  of  their  own  Boards.” 


XXXVIII. 

ON  TRANSFERRING  “BAPTIZO.” 

This  paper  was  drawn  up  with  reference  to  the 
overture  on  the  subject,  which  was  sent  up  to  the 
General  Assembly  of  1861.  The  circumstances  are 
here  briefly  stated  under  which  the  overture  was  re- 
solved upon  ; and  some  of  the  reasons  in  favor  of 
transferring  the  word  in  question,  when  it  is  practi- 
cable to  make  such  transfer,  are  summarily  stated. 

“ In  the  fulfilment  of  their  duties,  the  Executive 
Committee  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  have 
been  called  to  consider  the  question  of  transferring 
or  translating  the  word  baptizo,  in  a translation  of 
two  of  the  gospels  made  by  esteemed  missionaries  of 
the  Board.  These  brethren  had  been  led  to  translate 
-this  word,  though  admitting  that  it  is  practicable  to 
transfer  it. 

“ On  the  application  for  funds  to  print  the  transla- 
tion thus  made  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  owing  to 


140 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


some  special  circumstances  the  Committee  gave  their 
consent,  though  serious  doubts  were  entertained  by 
some  of  the  members  as  to  the  expediency  of  trans- 
lating the  word  in  question.  On  the  further  applica- 
tion for  funds  to  print  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  about  a 
year  afterwards,  the  subject  received  a more  earnest 
consideration  in  the  Committee  ; but  before  they  had 
come  to  a decision  in  the  case,  arrangements  were 
made  for  having  it  printed  at  the  expense  of  another 
Institution.  Inasmuch,  however,  as  the  principle  in- 
volved may  affect  hereafter  the  duty  of  the  Com- 
mittee towards  the  mission  by  whose  members  this 
translation  was  made,  and  as  it  extends  to  translations 
of  the  Scriptures  now  in  progress  or  yet  to  be  made 
by  members  of  other  missions,  it  is  important  to 
have  the  matter  properly  understood  by  all  parties. 

“ In  the  view  of  what  is  believed  to  be  the  senti- 
ment of  the  Presbyterian  Church  on  this  subject,  as 
shown  by  the  general  approval  of  the  common  En- 
glish Bible  in  the  transfer  of  this  word ; in  the  view 
also  of  the  certainty  of  guarding  against  imperfect 
and  erroneous  conceptions  of  the  sacrament  of  bap- 
tism, such  as  might  easily  arise  from  an  unhappy  choice 
of  a word  for  translating  baptizo ; in  the  view,  more- 
over, of  the  facility  with  which,  in  most  languages, 
this  word  can  be  introduced  and  naturalized — the 
whole  idea  of  Christian  baptism  having  to  be  ex- 
plained, and  it  requiring  but  little  further  difficulty  to 
explain  the  new  word  which  represents  it  ; in  the 
view,  still  further,  of  having  a uniform  practice  in  this 
matter,  so  that  the  succeeding  members  of  a mission 


ON  TRANSFERRING  “ BAPTIZO. 


141 

may  not  feel  called  upon  nor  at  liberty  to  change 
the  word  selected  by  their  predecessors,  a result  which 
might  easily  follow  the  plan  of  translating  this  word  ; 
and  generally  in  the  view  of  the  desirableness  of  hav- 
ing the  same  word  used  in  the  Church  of  this  country 
and  all  the  churches  abroad,  so  far  as  this  may  be 
practicable,  which  have  been  or  may  be  organized  by 
the  missionaries,  and  also  of  conforming  to'  the  prac- 
tice of  most  other  Christian  churches  and  missionary 
institutions  ; — the  Committee  may  very  well  hesitate 
to  sanction  the  printing  of  translations  in  which  the 
word  baptizo  is  not  transferred,  but  translated. 

“ Nevertheless,  in  deference  to  the  suggestion, 
though  not  in  acknowledgment  of  its  correctness, 
that  to  withhold  their  sanction  from  the  course  adopted 
by  the  missionary  brethren  might  be  considered  an 
improper  exercise  of  authority ; and  especially  in 
order  to  obtain  from  the  General  Assembly  its  judg- 
ment as  to  the  main  point,  as  at  once  authoritative, 
weighty,  and  governing  all  similar  cases,  the  Com- 
mittee may  well  desire  to  have  the  subject  brought 
before  that  venerable  body  in  some  suitable  way.” 

The  General  Assembly  expressed  its  approval  of 
transferring  rather  than  translating  baptizo. 


XXXIX. 

A.D.  1832-1872. 

In  1832  in  the  Synod  of  Pittsburgh  an  eloquent 
appeal  was  made  by  a member  in  behalf  of  some 
good  cause,  his  appeal  being  founded  largely  on  the 


142 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


growing  population  of  the  “Valley  of  the  Mississippi.” 
Statistics  were  given  and  reasons  assigned  to  show 
that  in  a few  years  this  great  valley  would  contain 
25,000,000  of  people.  Double  the  specified  period  of 
time  has  since  gone  round,  and  the  statistics  of  the 
last  census  show  that  in  this  valley,  with  the  popula- 
tion of  the  States  and  Territories  further  westward 
superadded,  the  population  does  not  nearly  reach  the 
number  then  estimated.  Its  growth  has,  however, 
been  very  great ; the  new  railways,  the  rising  towns, 
the  influx  of  people  from  the  older  States  and  from 
foreign  countries,  are  among  the  remarkable  things  of 
the  period.  We  do  not  wonder  at  the  interest  awak- 
ened by  them  in  the  various  kinds  of  efforts  which 
the  churches  of  different  denominations  are  making 
for  the  establishment  of  our  blessed  religion  in  this 
vast  Home  Missionary  field.  We  rejoice  to  see, 
moreover,  that  they  are  not  made  in  vain,  but  that 
the  number  of  Evangelical  ministers  in  this  great 
valley,  as  in  all  the  country,  has  increased  during  the 
last  forty  years  in  a ratio  still  more  rapid  than  has 
been  reached  by  the  increase  of  population.  And  so 
of  church  buildings,  schools,  colleges,  theological  insti- 
tutions, etc.  Everywhere  we  are  permitted  to  see  a 
great  advance  in  the  agencies  of  light  and  truth. 

We  look  back  over  the  same  period  to  see  how  the 
case  stands  abroad.  Has  the  mission  field  in  heathen 
and  other  unevangelized  lands  kept  pace  with  the 
field  at  home,  in  its  growth  and  calls  for  Christian 
labor?  In  its  increase  of  population  we  of  course 
see  no  great  advance ; the  nations  of  the  East  are 


A D.  1832-1872. 


143 


mostly  stationary  in  this  respect ; some  of  them,  the 
Chinese  and  Hindus  for  instance,  could  not  well  be 
more  numerous  than  they  have  long  been  in  the 
countries  occupied  by  them.  But  in  those  nations, 
with  reference  to  the  number  of  souls  reached  by  the 
missionary  agencies  of  the  Christian  Church,  the  last 
forty  years  have  witnessed  truly  wonderful  progress. 
In  1832  India  was  but  partially  open  to  missionary 
labor;  Siam  and  China,  hardly  at  all  ; Japan,  not  at 
all ; Western  Asia  and  Northern  Africa,  only  begin- 
ning to  be  explored  by  missionaries  ; Western  Africa, 
open  and  yet  almost  inaccessible  through  the  influence 
of  the  traffic  in  slaves ; South  America  and  Mexico, 
closed  and  barred  by  Rome.  Some  of  the  islands  of  the 
seas  could  be  reached.  South  Africa  was  partly  open, 
South  India  was  also  open  in  part,  and  some  of  our 
Indian  tribes  were  receiving  the  Gospel  from  mission- 
aries. In  general,  we  see  several  hundred  millions  of 
people  now  within  full  access,  who  then  could  not  be 
reached  at  all,  or  but  with  great  difficulty  and  risk  of 
life.  In  this  respect,  hardly  any  period  of  the  same 
length,  about  the  life-time  of  one  generation,  has 
been  marked  by  greater  changes,  by  political,  com- 
mercial, and  religious  movements,  all  directly  tending 
to  encourage  the  Church  in  her  great  work  of  Mis- 
sions. 

Other  considerations  tend  to  the  same  result.  In 
the  journeys  made  by  missionaries,  for  instance — 
China  can  be  reached  now  in  weeks  instead  of  months, 
as  formerly;  one  of  our  missionaries  was  nearly  four 
months  in  going  from  Calcutta  in  1834  to  Lodiana;  now 


144 


MISSIONARY  PARERS. 


the  same  journey  can  be  made  in  three  or  four  days. 
Still  more  might  we  specify  signs  of  progress  in  the 
conversion  of  souls,  in  the  Christian  training  of 
heathen  youth,  in  the  staff  of  native  missionary 
laborers,  in  the  translations  of  the  Bible.  In  these 
and  other  respects,  the  work  abroad  has  certainly 
made  a great  advance  since  1832.  Hardly  less  im- 
portant is  the  advance  in  the  recognition  of  Christian 
duty,  the  adoption  of  right  principles  and  methods, 
the  enlistment  of  personal  effort  among  the  churches 
of  this  country  in  their  relations  to  this  cause ; and 
we  may  refer  especially  to  our  own  Church,  now 
standing  unitedly  on  ground  not  then  taken  by  many. 
As  the  result  of  these  interior  convictions  of  the  peo- 
•ple  of  God,  we  must  hope  for  stronger  and  wiser 
labors  in  time  to  come. 

At  home  and  abroad,  therefore,  we  see  great  prog- 
ress. VVe  are  grateful  to  God  for  what  we  see,  and 
are  encouraged  to  expect  still  greater  results.  And 
yet  we  can  not  survey  the  work  without  deep  concern. 
The  harvest  is  still  plenteous,  and  the  laborers  are 
few.  What  are  less  than  two  hundred  ministers, 
European  and  American,  native  and  foreign,  for  the 
people  of  China?  The  Chinese  are  tenfold  more  nu- 
merous than  the  people  of  our  country,  and  the 
laborers  are  fewer  there  than  here  by  some  hundred- 
fold, or  as  200  to  over  40,000.  In  so  many  years, 
what  vast  multitudes  of  our  fellow-men  have  gone  to 
the  grave  without  having  heard  of  Christ ! Even 
now,  what  great  numbers  are  crossing  the  narrow 
space  of  life  with  ourselves,  who  know  as  little  of  the 


A.D.  1832-1872. 


145 

way  of  salvation  as  did  their  forefathers,  and  who 
must  be  made  to  know  it  by  the  Christians  now  living, 
if  they  ever  know  it  at  all ! Herein  is  our  responsi- 
bility. Herein  too  is  a large  part  of  our  discourage- 
ment, that  we,  as  followers  of  Christ,  seem  to  be 
feeling  so  little  concern  for  these  perishing  people. 
Yet  we  must  go  further  if  we  would  understand  all 
the  discouragement,  even  down  to  the  depths  of 
heathen  depravity.  Their  utter  alienation  from  God, 
their  debased  condition  for  the  most  part  in  morals 
and  life,  their  complete  want  of  everything  that  the 
Gospel  brings  to  men,  their  dislike  of  the  Gospel 
itself  in  its  spiritual  claims  upon  them — these  are  dis- 
couraging indeed.  How  powerless  is  all  human  effort 
to  save  these  lost  souls  ! But  in  God  is  our  help,  and 
their  help — in  his  grace  abounding  more  than  our 
common  sin  and  ruin  ; and  our  hope  of  success  is  in 
the  promises  of  God.  Success  is  sure.  The  Word  of 
the  Lord  hath  made  it  sure  to  our  faith. 

Let  us  be  gracious  laborers  ourselves,  strong  in 
faith,  mighty  in  prayer  ; let  earnest  zeal  for  God  and 
pity  for  men  inspire  the  Church  of  Christ  in  all  its 
own  members,  and  he  who  writes  a paper  like  this  in 
1912  will  write  with  thanksgiving  of  the  wonderful 
progress  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  all  the  world. 


7 


146 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


XL. 


THE  MOHAMMEDANS. 

The  general  drift  of  public  events  in  this  day  be- 
tokens great  changes  among  the  Mohammedans.  It 
is  not  believed  that  the  Turkish  Empire  can  long 
stand,  pecuniarily  bankrupt  as  it  is,  hopelessly  divided 
in  the  religious  elements  of  its  population,  and  evi- 
dently upheld  for  a time  only  through  the  inter- 
national jealousy  of  the  Great  Powers  of  Europe.  Per- 
sia is  coming  under  liberalizing  influences  to  some 
degree.  The  sway  of  Russia  is  extending  in  North- 
eastern Asia.  Northern  Africa  is  feeling  the  force  of 
European  ideas.  The  40,000,000  of  Mohammedans 
in  India  make,  perhaps,  a half  of  the  whole  number, 
for  the  followers  of  Mohammed,  we  may  believe,  are 
largely  overestimated  by  most  writers ; and  these 
Hindu  Mohammedans  are,  like  their  countrymen, 
more  and  more  influenced  by  modern  ideas  based  in 
the  Christian  religion.  In  Afghanistan  and  Beloo- 
chistan  we  see  fewer  signs  of  change  than  elsewhere. 
In  general  we  may  regard  Mohammedan  political  and 
persecuting  power  as  waning.  Some  think  Rev.  xvi. 
12  is  now  fulfilling  in  the  drying  up  of  the  water  in 
“ the  great  river  Euphrates,”  for  centuries  under  Mo- 
hammedan power.  Drying  up  is  a process  of  gradual 
diminution  and  loss  of  force. 

Mohammedanism  itself,  however,  will  remain  what 
it  always  has  been,  except  as  restrained  from  without ; 


THE  MOHAMMEDANS. 


H7 


yet  marked  changes  have  taken  place  in  its  condition, 
and  others  seem  to  be  near  at  hand.  Some  of  these 
changes  have  opened  the  door  of  access  for  the  Gos- 
pel to  millions  of  this  people  ; others  have  but  sub- 
stituted one  exclusive  power  for  another,  the  Greek- 
Church  of  Russia  being  no  friend  to  religious  tolera- 
tion. And  were  Turkey  in  Asia  to  fall  under  Rus- 
sian control,  it  is  far  from  being  certain  that  our  mis- 
sionaries would  enjoy  as  much  liberty  as  they  do  now  ; 
it  is  even  probable  that  their  evangelizing  work  would 
be  seriously  hindered,  if  not  terminated.  We  see 
how  deeply  important  to  our  missionary  work  are  the 
public  events  of  the  hour. 

The  Lord  reigns  in  grace.  We  look,  therefore, 
for  changes  favorable  to  the  Gospel  among  the  Mo- 
hammedans. At  any  rate  we  may  pray  for  such 
changes.  And  our  missionaries  may  well  address  to 
this  people,  directly  and  personally,  the  Gospel  mes- 
sage whenever  they  have  the  opportunity  of  doing  so. 
Our  plans  of  reaching  them  through  schools,  through 
books,  through  the  elevation  of  corrupt  oriental 
churches,  are  all  of  greater  or  less  value,  and  a large 
work  is  going  forward  in  these  respects ; but  as  op- 
portunity offers,  the  followers  of  Mohammed  ought 
to  be  directly  and  personally  addressed  as  lost  and 
perishing  sinners,  for  whom  Christ  is  the  only  Saviour. 
This  our  missionaries  are  doing,  and  cases  not  a few 
of  hopeful  conversion  have  been  reported  from  India ; 
some  also  from  Persia  and  Syria. 

These  thoughts  on  so  great  a subject,  brief  as  they 
are,  will  yet  be  of  use  if  they  serve  to  suggest  the 


148 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


need  of  particular  prayers  for  Mohammedans,  and 
for  others  under  their  rule,  as  well  as  for  our  mission- 
aries among  them. 


XLI. 

ORGANIZED  OPPOSING  FORCES. 

WHAT  is  the  prospect,  in  general,  of  our  missionary 
work  at  the  present  time  [1876]  in  the  three  depart- 
ments of  the  field  — Roman,  Mohammedan,  and 
Pagan  ? It  is  only  a general  reply  that  can  be  given 
here  to  this  question. 

Towards  Rome  the  course  of  events  is  undoubt- 
edly adverse  ; but  its  discouragement  in  Italy,  Ger- 
many, and  France  has  had  the  effect  of  sending  many 
priests, “ brothers,”  nuns,  etc.,  to  other  countries — many 
to  this  country,  some  even  to  Gaboon.  Its  home  re- 
sources, however,  have  been  greatly  weakened  in  the 
last  few  years,  especially  in  France,  its  chief  source 
of  pecuniary  supplies.  And  the  ridiculous  attitude 
of  the  Pope,  claiming  to  be  a prisoner,  while  living 
in  a splendid  palace,  from  which  he  may  go  out  at 
his  pleasure,  must  more  and  more  tend  to  demoralize 
his  forces.  It  is  remarkable,  and  most  encouraging, 
to  see  what  access  is  now  given  to  preach  the  Gospel 
in  Mexico,  South  America,  Italy,  and  other  countries 
in  Europe  ; we  rejoice  in  the  efficient  evangelizing 
labors  of  Protestants  in  Belgium,  France,  and  Italy. 
The  work  of  the  Waldensian  Church  in  Italy  is  full 


ORGANIZED  OPPOSING  FORCES. 


149 


of  encouragement.  But  there  is  still  vitality  enough 
in  Romanism  to  make  it  one  of  the  greatest  human  ad- 
versaries of  the  Gospel.  For  its  sincere  adherents,  as 
for  all  in  deep  error,  we  should  cherish  only  feelings 
of  kindness.  The  other  nominally  Christian  churches 
afford  many  points  worthy  of  notice,  but  must  here 
be  passed  over  with  the  remark,  that  the  difficult 
work  of  their  enlightenment  seems  to  be  making 
sure  though  not  rapid  progress.  Even  the  followers 
of  the  Greek  Church,  who  are  not  often  accessible  by 
missionaries,  are  coming  more  within  reach  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures. 

Mohammedanism  is  said  to  be  extending  in  equa- 
torial Africa,  but  it  is  declining  in  its  chief  seats  of 
power,  Turkey,  Persia,  and  India.  Some  fanatical 
sects  seem  to  be  gaining  followers  and  influence  in 
India  and  Persia ; but  in  nearly  all  Mohammedan 
countries  the  movement  of  public  affairs  tends  to 
weaken  the  power  of  this  religion. 

The  heathen  religions  are  often  said  to  be  effete, 
or  even  dying  out.  This  may  be  true  as  to  their  po- 
litical force,  but  they  have  a strong  influence  over 
their  followers  from  habit,  usage,  association  ; and 
their  basis  in  human  nature  remains  of  course  un- 
changed. This  natural  aversion  to  what  is  holy 
and  inclination  to  what  is  evil  is  not  to  be  cured  by 
outward  agencies.  Much  as  the  followers  of  paganism 
may  be  brought  under  providential  restraints,  we  need 
not  be  surprised  at  outbreaks  of  violence  from  time 
to  time.  The  patient  Chinese  can  perpetrate  deeds 
of  atrocity,  as  in  the  recent  days  of  the  Taipings;  the 


150 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


polish  of  manner  in  Japan  is  but  lacquer,  hardly 
concealing  great  wickedness  ; the  Hindu  “ mildness  ” 
was  capable  of  the  Sepoy  mutiny,  and  India  may 
again  see  in  public  events  the  desperate  depravity  of 
the  human  heart.  It  is  only  divine  grace,  the  power 
of  the  Almighty  Spirit,  that  can  change  the  heart  of 
man  anywhere.  That  grace  it  is  the  object  of  our 
missionaries  to  make  known  to  every  creature. 


XLII. 

CHURCH-WORK  FOR  ROMAN  CATHOLICS. 

To  many  it  seems  harsh  to  class  Roman  Catholics 
with  the  unevangelized,  as  needing  the  labors  of  for- 
eign missionaries.  Are  they  not  Christians  ? And 
do  they  not  hold  many  of  the  great  truths  of  the 
Christian  religion  ? Yes,  they  are  Christians  as  too 
many  Protestants  are — by  name,  by  profession  ; nor 
ought  we  to  deny  that  some  Roman  Catholics  are 
evangelical  in  their  religious  views.  But  for  the  most 
part,  while  holding  important  truths  of  revelation, 
they  also  hold  such  great  errors  as  completely  over- 
lay or  neutralize  these  truths.  For  example,  they 
observe  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord’s 
Supper ; but  they  add  to  them  five  other  sacraments, 
while  these  two  in  their  administration  are  seriously 
changed  from  the  simple  order  of  the  Scriptural  sac- 
raments ; and  in  their  meaning  they  are  regarded  as 
passports  to  heaven,  no  matter  what  may  be  the 


CHURCH-  WORK  FOR  ROMAN  CA  THOL  ICS.  1 5 1 


moral  character  of  those  who  receive  them..  It  can 
not  be  doubted  that  most  Romanists  expect  salva- 
tion because  of  their  outward  conformity  to  the  re- 
quirements of  this  Church,  and  make  little  or  nothing 
of  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  faith  in  Christ 
alone,  and  a life  of  evangelical  service  to  God  and 
man.  Most  of  them  are  ignorant  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  are  not  permitted  to  read  them  ; most  of  them 
are  in  bondage  to  their  priests  ; most  of  them,  priests 
and  people  alike,  need  to  be  taught  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. It  is  not  our  object  here  to  dwell  on  the  great 
errors  and  evils  of  Romanism.  We  believe  it  to  be 
in  all  its  aspects,  religious,  political,  social,  a dreadful 
system  of  evil.  Alas,  what  great  numbers  of  our 
fellow-men  are  under  its  power!  We  pity  them 
deeply,  and  pray  for  them.  We  would  give  the  Gos- 
pel to  them  as  the  greatest  blessing.  And  we  are 
grateful  that  our  Church  has  been  led  to  regard  mis- 
sions to  Romanists  as  a proper  part  of  its  Church- 
work. 

This  work  should  be  under  the  direction  of  the 
Church  itself,  and  not  of  mere  Societies  ; for  the  same 
reasons  that  have  led  our  Christian  people  to  place 
other  foreign  missions  and  all  home  missions  under 
this  direction.  Thereby  we  are  in  the  line  of  the 
great  commission  of  the  Church,  and  so  may  best 
hope  for  the  presence  of  our  Lord  with  his  servants 
in  their  efforts  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 
Thereby  we  have  the  best  security  that  the  Gospel 
will  be  preached  in  its  purity  and  its  fulness,  and  this 
by  men  called  and  qualified  for  this  great  work. 


I 52 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Thereby  we  have  the  best  guaranty  against  errors 
and  evils  that  spring  up  more  readily  in  an  unevan- 
gelized than  in  a Christian  country.  A strong  argu- 
ment for  our  Presbyterian  views  of  doctrine,  church 
order  and  discipline,  can  be  drawn  from  their  practical 
development  on  missionary  ground,  as  in  the  first  age 
of  Christianity.  Thereby,  moreover,  we  simplify  our 
home  administration  of  the  work  of  missions,  and 
avoid  much  expense  for  executive  service,  and  much 
embarrassment  to  our  churches  from  the  multiplica- 
tion of  societies  and  collections.  The  views  here 
merely  suggested  have  been  long  held  as  earnest  con- 
victions, formed  without  any  reference  to  matters  of 
recent  occurrence. 

Leaving  theory  for  practice,  the  Presbyterian  Church 
is  seeking  the  salvation  of  Roman  Catholics : in  this 
country,  by  all  our  ministers,  of  the  Gospel,  by  all 
our  home  ministries  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  our 
countrymen  ; abroad,  in  two  ways.  I.  By  aiding  our 
brethren  in  papal  countries — Belgium,  France,  Italy, 
for  instance — who  hold  substantially  the  same  relig- 
ious views  and  hopes  with  ourselves,  to  spread  the 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel  among  their  countrymen. 
These  brethren,  few  in  number,  and  having  but  very 
limited  pecuniary  means  at  their  command,  are  yet 
admirably  situated  and  well  qualified,  far  better  than 
any  foreigners  could  be,  for  conducting  missionary 
labors  amongst  their  own  people.  They  earnestly 
desire  our  assistance.  And  truly  wonderful  are-  the 
orderings  of  Providence  within  the  last  few  years, 
opening  the  door  before  them  in  a way  that  should 


A ROMANIST  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  153 

arrest  the  attention  of  the  whole  Christian  Church. 
2.  By  sending  missionaries  to  the  countries  on  our 
own  continent  that  are  still  known  as  Roman  Catholic 
—such  as  Brazil,  United  States  of  Colombia,  Central 
America,  Mexico,  etc.  We  stand  in  special  relations 
to  the  inhabitants  of  these  countries.  Great  changes 
are  going  on  amongst  them,  all  tending  to  the  over- 
throw of  Romanism,  and  in  important  respects  favor- 
ing the  introduction  of  the  Gospel. 

The  missionary  work  of  the  Board  in  Europe,  as 
outlined  above,  and  its  missions  in  South  America, 
particularly  in  Brazil,  have  already  met  with  mani- 
fest tokens  of  the  approval  of  God.  And  now  the 
time  has  come  for  enlarging  our  efforts,  for  sending 
our  European  brethren  more  liberal  aid,  and  for  send- 
ing out  new  laborers  to  these  American  countries. 
They  will  not  long  remain  under  the  bondage  of 
Rome  ; they  are  already  breaking  their  fetters.  We 
should  pray  and  labor  that  their  coming  freedom  may 
not  be  the  license  of  infidelity,  but  the  blessed  liberty 
wherewith  Christ  makes  his  people  free. 


XLIII. 

A ROMANIST  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 

Similar  effects  may  proceed  from  the  most 
opposite  causes.  Men  may  give  moneys  for  charita- 
ble purposes  from  ostentation  or  from  benevolence. 
The  actions  may  appear  equally  good  in  the  sight  of 

7" 


154 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


men ; in  the  eye  of  God  there  may  be  a vast  differ- 
ence between  them.  The  Pharisees  could  “ compass 
sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte”;  the  Apostles 
themselves  could  do  no  more.  Not  to  dwell  on  so 
common  a truth,  this  remark  may  be  made — that 
even  the  Apostles  would  not  hesitate  to  learn  lessons 
from  the  zeal  and  the  worldly  wisdom  of  the  Phari- 
sees ; they  would  abhor  the  spirit  of  those  self-right- 
eous Jews;  they  would  altogether  condemn  the  object 
for  which  the  Pharisees  were  so  zealous ; they  would 
deplore  the  success  of  their  measures,  but  they  might 
be  stimulated  by  their  example  in  a bad  cause,  to 
greater  zeal  in  the  service  of  their  own  gracious  Lord. 
Keeping  this  distinction  in  mind,  some  account  may 
be  here  given  of  a Romanist  Missionary  Society. 

This  Society  is  called  L'  Qduvre  de  la  Propagation 
de  la  Foi ; it  was  formed  at  Lyons,  in  France,  in  the 
year  1822;  and  its  object  is  “to  assist,  by  prayers  and 
alms,  the  [Roman]  Catholic  Missionaries,  charged  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  foreign  nations.”  The  “ bond  of 
union  among  the  members  is  simply  to  recite  a very 
short  prayer  every  day,  and  to  give  a weekly  subscrip- 
tion of  one  sou  (less  than  a cent)  toward  the  support 
of  the  Missions.”  Branches  of  this  Society  “have 
spread  through  Belgium,  Holland,  Portugal,  Switzer- 
land, Savoy,  Piedmont,  Italy,  Germany,  Russia,  and 
the  Levant.”  It  has  “ lately  penetrated  Great  Britain.” 
It  publishes  periodical  annals  six  times  a year,  for  the 
use  of  the  members,  every  collector  of  about  five  dol- 
lars being  entitled  to  a copy  free  of  charge,  which  he 
is  required  to  allow  those  who  subscribe  freely  to  pe- 


A ROMANIST  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


155 


ruse ; and  editions  are  now  circulated  in  six  different 
languages.  Its  conductors  speak  boastingly  of  its  ex- 
tension and  success.  And  well  they  may,  for  “ pre- 
viously to  May,  1838,  it  had  collected  upward  of 
£200,000,”  or  $1,000,000;  its  receipts  for  the  year 
then  ending  were  nearly  £4.0,000,  or  $200,000 ; its 
missions  are  about  eighty  in  number,  fourteen  of  which 
are  in  these  United  States;  and,  what  its  managers 
call  attention  to  with  the  emphasis  of  italic  letters, 
quoting  “the  words  of  the  Supreme  Head  of  the 
Church,”  it  is,  “ in  the  midst  of  the  afflictions  that 
oppress  him,  the  consolation  reserved  to  his  heart ; its 
successes  are  his  joy,”  etc.  Let  the  Pope  rejoice  in 
this  Society.  Its  organization  is  simple,  general,  and 
effective. 

The  manner  of  collecting  the  subscriptions  to  this 
Society  is  worthy  of  consideration.  The  first  rule  of 
the  British  Branch  relates  to  the  Pater  and  Ave  prayers, 
which  each  member  is  to  “recite”  ; the  second  is,  “ to 
contribute  to  the  funds  of  the  Society  one  half- 
penny per  week.”  These  half-pence  are  thus  managed  : 
“ One  member  is  charged  to  receive  the  contributions 
of  ten  subscribers,  the  amount  of  which  he  hands  over 
to  another  member,  who  receives  ten  similar  contri- 
butions, that  is,  one  hundred  half-pence ; and  he,  in 
his  turn,  gives  the  entire  sum  to  a third  member, 
authorized  to  receive  ten  such  subscriptions,  that  is, 
one  thousand  half-pence.”  “ Donations  by  persons 
not  members,  or  by  members  over  and  above  their 
ordinary  subscriptions,  may  be  received  by  any  of  the 
collectors.”  And  the  whole  sum,  business,  etc.,  are 


156 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


managed  by  a Council,  “ whose  services  are  essentially 
gratuitous.”  Yet  the  members  of  the  Council  are,  no 
doubt,  men  whose  support  is  provided  by  the  Roman 
Church — bishops  and  other  ecclesiastics.  The  income 
of  this  Society  has  been  slowly  increasing.  .Last  year, 
1880,  it  was  about  the  same  as  was  given  to  foreign 
missions  by  a single  Protestant  denomination  in  En- 
gland. 

We  may  note,  1.  The  aim  of  the  Society  to  secure 
gifts  from  all  classes,  which,  of  course,  is  important ; 
yet,  to  ask  the  same  amount  from  rich  and  poor  alike 
does  not  accord  with  the  divine  rule  in  1 Cor.  xvi.  2. 
2.  The  power  of  many  littles.  3.  The  use  of  “ free  ” 
missionary  magazines.  4.  This  Romanist  example 
does  not  seem  to  favor  the  idea,  which  is  advocated 
by  some  Protestants,— that  of  merging  all  missionary 
Boards  and  Societies  in  one  organization.  It  is  an 
impracticable  idea  among  Protestants  ; and  if  it  were 
practicable,  it  would  certainly  be  disappointing,  lessen- 
ing, and  otherwise  injurious  to  the  cause  of  missions. 
5.  In  examining  these  magazines  one  does  not  see 
much  stress  laid  on  what  the  Society  is  going  to  do ; 
there  is  a wise  reserve  as  to  some  things.  6.  Alas, 
for  the  motive,  so  often  avowed ! Mariolatry  seems  to 
supersede  the  religion  of  Christ  our  Lord.  External 
rites  are  magnified,  etc. 


LIFE  OF  FRANCIS  XA  VIER. 


157 


XLIV. 

LIFE  OF  FRANCIS  XAVIER. 

THE  FAILURE  OF  ROMISH  MISSIONS  TO  THE  HEATHEN. 

The  life  of  Xavier  is  one  of  much  interest  to  gen- 
eral readers,  and  of  special  value  to  those  who  are  en- 
gaged in  the  work  of  Christian  missions.*  Heretofore, 
however,  his  memoirs  have  repelled  readers  of  sobriety 
by  taking  them  into  the  region  of  fables.  His  history 
has  been  quite  overlaid  with  legends. 

A list  of  ten  miracles  alleged  to  have  been  wrought 
by  him  is  given  on  pages  98  and  99  of  this  volume. 
Three  of  these  were  cases  of  restoring  the  dead  to  life, 
one  of  giving  sight  to  the  blind,  but  others  were  less 
Scripture-like.  One  was  his  turning  salt  water  into 
sweet,  by  making  the  sign  of  the  cross.  Another  was 
his  being  lifted  a cubit  from  the  ground  while  cele- 
brating mass.  Another  was  the  remarkable  conduct 
of  a sea-crab,  which  jumped  out  of  the  sea  upon  the 
shore,  ran  ( festinans  accurrif),  with  a crucifix  in  its 
claws,  that  had  been  lost  in  the  sea,  stood  before 
Xavier,  and  waited  till  he  took  the  crucifix,  and  then 
went  back  into  the  sea  ! These  ten  miracles  were  put 
on  record,  as  a part  of  the  reasons  of  his  canonization, 
by  Pope  Gregory  XV.  Subsequently  the  number  of 

* The  Missionary  Life  and  Labors  of  Francis  Xavier,  taken  from 
his  Correspondence,  with  a Sketch  of  the  General  Results  of  Roman 
Catholic  Missions  among  the  Heathen.  By  Henry  Venn,  D.D. 
London  : 1863. 


158 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


miracles  attributed  to  him  was  almost  indefinitely  in- 
creased by  his  Romish  biographers.  The  author  sub- 
jects some  of  the  earlier  reports  of  these  miracles, 
including  some  of  those  that  were  titles  to  his  canoni- 
zation, to  a careful  scrutiny — tracing  them  back  from 
one  source  to  another,  until  he  reaches  Xavier’s  own 
account  of  the  matter,  and  thus  almost  reproducing 
the  story  of  the  three  black  crows  ! Certainly,  he  has 
rendered  a great  service  to  the  memory  of  the  cele- 
brated missionary;  for  his  own  accounts  were  always 
truthful,  if  they  were  sometimes  warmly  colored, 
while' the  legends  of  his  biographers  are  often  extrav- 
agant and  incredible.  Dismissing  the  biographers,  the 
author  examined  carefully  Xavier’s  letters,  which  are 
numerous,  and  which  have  an  interesting  literary  his- 
tory. From  these  letters  he  has  constructed  a clear 
and  trustworthy  biography — one  which  must  hence- 
forth be  authoritative. 

“Xavier  was  born  April  7,  1506,  in  Navarre,  and 
was  related,  on  his  mother’s  side,  to  the  kings  of  that 
country  and  to  the  family  of  the  Bourbons.  He  was 
in  early  life  brought  somewhat  in  connection  with 
Protestant  teachers,  the  first  of  his  letters  expressing 
thanks  that  he  was  rescued  from  their  influence. 
When  this  letter  was  written,  March  24,  1535,  he  was 
in  the  University  of  Paris,  and  his  friendship  with  the 
hardly  more  celebrated  Ignatius  Loyola  had  already 
become  intimate.  This  friendship  shaped  his  subse- 
quent career.  He  was  one  of  the  six  friends  to  whom 
Loyola,  in  1534,  imparted  his  project  of  an  association, 
which  has  since  shaken  many  nations,  but  never  for 


LIFE  OF  FRANCIS  XA  VIER 


159 


good— the  Society  of  Jesus,  or  the  Jesuits.  The  first 
inception  of  this  association  was  marked  by  singleness 
of  object,  the  conversion  of  unbelievers,  and  the  seven 
friends  renounced  all  worldly  possessions  for  its  ful- 
filment. Little  did  they  know  themselves  ! Far  less 
could  they  predict  the  unprincipled  proceedings  of 
their  successors,  ‘ for  the  greater  glory  of  God.’ 

“ Loyola  desired  to  send  his  friend  to  the  Holy  Land 
as  his  field  of  labor,  but  he  was  led  to  acquiesce  in  his 
going  out  to  the  East  Indies.  Before  his  departure 
he  was  admitted  to  interviews  with  the  King  of  Por- 
tugal, then  one  of  the  most  powerful  of  European 
monarchs,  and  he  went  out  under  his  patronage ; 
afterwards  he  was  made  director  of  the  Jesuit  missions 
in  the  East,  and  royal  Commissioner  from  the  King 
of  Portugal.  He  was  from  the  first  Papal  Nuncio, 
and  accompanied  the  new  Viceroy  of  Goa  as  a guest 
at  his  table.  He  is  spoken  of  as  a missionary,  but 
how  different  was  his  position  from  that  of  Protestant 
or  even  of  Romanist  missionaries  at  the  present  day ! 

“ We  can  not  follow  minutely  his  course  in  the  East. 
The  author  divides  his  labors  into  four  periods:  1, 
Three  years  were  spent  in  South  India;  2,  Two  years 
and  a half  in  the  Chinese  Archipelago,  mostly  on  a 
voyage  to  different  places  ; 3,  Four  years,  in  managing 
his  India  missions,  a voyage  to  Japan,  a two  years’  resi- 
dence there,  and  a return  to  India ; 4,  About  a year  in 
India,  and  in  an  attempt  to  enter  China.  This  attempt 
was  unsuccessful,  and  while  making  it  his  life  reached 
its  end.  He  spent,  therefore,  only  a dozen  years  on  mis- 
sionary ground,  but  they  were  years  marked  by  great 


160  MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 

activity,  a restless  energy,  and  a thorough  devotedness 
to  his  object,  such  as  is  rarely  seen  among  men,  and 
such  as  rebukes  the  easy  life  of  too  many  missionaries 
of  a purer  faith.  We  can  not  commend  his  method 
or  plan  of  proceeding  as  an  evangelist ; neither  can 
we  approve  of  many  things  in  his  conduct ; but  he 
was  undoubtedly  a sincere  and  earnest  man.  We  look 
on  his  life  with  a certain  admiration,  but  with  greater 
pity,  and  with  not  a little  indignation ; the  explana- 
tion of  much  in  his  history  is  found  in  the  fact  that 
he  was  a Romanist  missionary.  He  well  represented 
a Church  that  employs  secular  policy,  military  power, 
the  terrors  of  the  Inquisition,  to  spread  its  reign;  and 
that  relies  far  more  for  the  conversion  of  souls  on 
ritualistic  ceremonies  than  on  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel. 

“ What  were  the  results  of  his  missionary  life  and 
labors?  This  question  brings  us  to  the  great  lesson 
of  the  book,  or  rather  of  the  life  of  this  great  man. 
It  is  the  Scripture  lesson,  that  nothing  will  convert 
the  heathen  but  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God.  Even 
to  the  labors  of  Paul  or  of  Apollos,  we  know  that  no 
success  will  be  given,  except  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  How  vain  is  it,  then,  to  expect  success 
as  the  fruit  of  secular  policy  and  ceremonial  zeal. 

“ We  know  the  opinion  of  some  writers,  that  Xavier 
converted  many  thousands  of  the  heathen.  His  great 
success  is  sometimes  cited  to  the  disparagement  of 
the  humble  fruits  of  Protestant  missionaries.  This 
erroneous  opinion  is  founded  on  the  legendary  life  of 
Xavier,  not  on  his  own  letters.  These  teach  a very 


LIFE  OF  FRANCIS  XA  VIER.  1 6 1 

different  story.  He  even  abandoned  India  in  despair 
of  success,  and  the  Abbe  Dubois,  himself  for  many 
years  a missionary  in  India,  after  referring  to  Xavier’s 
want  of  success,  avows  his  belief  that  the  Hindus  can 
not  be  converted ! 

“ The  latter  part  of  this  volume  contains  a brief  but 
valuable  review  of  the  results  of  Romish  missions. 
These  have  been  conducted  for  several  hundred  years, 
on  a vast  scale,  in  many  countries,  but  with  hardly 
any  permanent  success.  Witness  Ceylon,  Japan,  and 
other  countries.  When  not  upheld  by  the  civil  power, 
the  religion  set  up  by  Romanist  missionaries  soon 
falls  to  the  ground.  It  has  no  principle  of  life  in  it. 
It  does  exert  a great  influence  in  perverting  men  from 
the  truth  ; it  is  essentially  an  apostasy,  not  a new  life, 
but  a perversion  of  the  true  life  which  the  pure  re- 
ligion of  Christ  imparts.  In  this  sense,  it  has  a malig- 
nant power.  But  it  can  not  prevent  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel ; in  the  field  of  the  earliest  and  most  extensive 
Romish  missions,  to  which  Xavier  himself  gave  most 
of  his  missionary  life,  South  India,  Romanism  has 
long  been  without  vitality,  while  the  Gospel  is  win- 
ning new  triumphs  every  year — many  of  its  converts 
coming  from  the  ranks  of  the  Roman  Church.” 

Our  limited  space  precludes  the  insertion  of  extracts 
from  this  volume,  and  does  not  permit  us  to  call  at- 
tention to  some  of  the  minor  but  not  unimportant 
lessons  which  it  teaches.  But  we  can  not  close  this 
book  without  expressing  deep  regret  over  a great  life 
wasted.  Xavier  possessed  genius  of  a high  order,  ad- 
ministrative talent  seldom  equalled,  warm  and  noble 


1 62 


MISSIONA R Y PAPERS. 


affections,  and  untiring  industry.  We  have  felt  deeply 
moved  by  his  eloquent  appeals  for  more  missionaries 
and  greater  zeal  in  the  cause ; and  few  readers  of  his 
life,  Protestant  or  Romanist,  will  not  feel  condemned 
by  his  self-denial  and  his  devotedness  to  his  work. 
He  was,  moreover,  aided  by  royal  treasures  and 
authority,  and  by  the  personal  influence  of  the  foun- 
der of  his  order,  as  his  warm  friend,  an  influence  of 
great  power  in  kings’  palaces  and  in  the  Vatican, 
making  the  resources  of  the  Roman  Church  largely 
tributary  to  his  success.  And  yet — all  is  vanity  and 
vexation  of  spirit ! He  died  a disappointed  man, 
after  a life  of  self-consuming  labor,  leaving  as  its  re- 
sults nothing  good  in  this  world  nor  in  the  world  to 
come.  Happy  in  comparison  with  him  is  the  humblest 
missionary,  who  faithfully  preaches  Christ  and  him 
crucified  as  the  only  Saviour  of  his  own  soul  and  the 
souls  of  the  perishing  heathen  ! 


XLV. 

THE  HINDUS  AND  THE  BRITISH. 

The  general  state  of  feeling  among  the  natives  of 
India  towards  their  foreign  rulers  is  a matter  of  mo- 
ment. - It  must  be  conceded,  we  believe,  that  there 
is  little  affection  for  the  British  among  their  Eastern 
subjects.  It  seems  to  be  impossible  that  there  should 
be,  until  Christianity  prevails.  The  difference  of  race, 


THE  HINDUS  AND  THE  BRITISH.  163 

of  social  customs,  and  of  religion  is  nowhere  more 
strongly  marked  than  between  Europeans  and  the 
Hindus.  The  two  peoples  hardly  ever  meet  as  fami- 
lies ; the  tender  sympathies  of  woman  in  social  or 
pure  domestic  ties  do  not  bind  them  together.  Not 
that  any  repugnance  between  them  exists,  as  between 
the  white  and  the  colored  inhabitants  of  our  own 
land  ; but  the  causes  of  separation  are  general,  and 
such  as  are  not  likely  to  give  way  until  the  spirit  of 
the  Gospel  fuses  their  hearts  in  a common  mould. 
Then,  we  see  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  most  in- 
timate relations  may  not  exist  between  the  native 
and  the  European,  without  loss  of  social  position  on 
either  side. 

There  has  been,  moreover,  in  far  too  many  in- 
stances, an  ill-considered,  overbearing,  and  sometimes 
unmanly  treatment  of  the  natives,  which  has  borne  its 
legitimate  fruit.  Certain  Hindu  families  and  their 
adherents,  connected  with  former  reigning  houses, 
still  cherish  their  “ grievance,”  though  they  find  little 
sympathy  from  the  masses.  And  there  is  the  Mo- 
hammedan element  of  the  population,  sighing  for  the 
restoration  of  Islam.  There  are  also  many  whose  in- 
terests have  been  injured  by  serious  errors  in  the 
legislative  or  the  administrative  measures  of  the 
Government.  And  there  are  the  poor  villagers,  who 
are  at  times  wasted  by  the  march  of  an  army,  or  the 
progress  of  the  Governor-General’s  camp,  of  whose 
sufferings  the  late  Sir  Charles  Napier  took  such  just 
notice  ; though  the  cause  of  their  sufferings  is  not 
the  one  which  he  leaves  his  correspondent  to  infer — • 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


164 

the  exactions  of  the  English  powers  that  be,  but  the 
iniquity  of  the  native  officials.  These  native  agents 
refuse  to  pay  over  to  the  villager  the  price  of  his 
grass  and  barley  without  large  reduction,  and  at  the 
same  time  contrive  to  make  it  impossible  for  the  poor 
man  to  carry  his  complaint  to  the  “ Sahib.”  Until 
lately,  moreover,  few  of  the  natives  were  admitted  to 
offices  of  high  grade,  though  large  numbers  of  them 
have  long  been  clerks  or  writers  in  all  public  offices ; 
indeed,  few  were  qualified  to  fill  the  more  important 
stations.  This  enumeration  will  nearly  exhibit  the 
strength  of  anti-British  feeling  in  India.  And  it 
is  worthy  of  note  that  in  some  of  these  cases,  the  na- 
tives themselves  would  not  expect  to  gain  anything 
by  a change  of  rulers.  The  poor  villager  would  fare 
worse  than  he  does  under  the  “ Company  Sahib,”  as 
to  receiving  a just  compensation  for  his  services. 

On  the  other  side  there  are  reasons  and  facts  of 
great  weight  to  be  considered.  The  Hindus  are  a 
shrewd,  sagacious  people  in  all  things  affecting  their 
personal  and  pecuniary  interests.  They  can  very  well 
appreciate  the  advantage  of  living  under  law,  as  com- 
pared with  living  under  lawless  despotism,  as  in  the 
times  of  their  former  rulers.  They  are  keenly  alive 
to  the  chances  of  accumulating  property  and  of  its 
safe  possession.  It  is  said  that  Jews  cannot  compete 
with  the  bazar  dealers  of  Calcutta,  though  here  in 
New  York  they  take  possession  of  Chatham  Street. 
No  people,  moreover,  are  more  sensitive  than  the 
Hindus  to  the  honor  of  their  families,  keeping  their 
women,  among  the  higher  classes,  in  the  strictest  se- 


THE  HINDUS  AND  THE  BRITISH. 


165 


elusion.  How  could  it  be  otherwise  than  that  such  a 
people  would  prefer  a settled,  and  in  the  main  equi- 
table government  like  that  of  the  British,  to  the  state 
of  things  which  always  exists  under  native  or  Mus- 
sulman rulers?  The  last  old  king  of  the  Punjab  had 
in  his  harem  hundreds  of  the  most  beautiful  women 
in  his  country,  and  their  number  was  increased  by  the 
forcible  addition  of  every  young  woman  of  superior 
beauty  within  his  reach.  If  one  of  his  subjects,  by 
industry,  skill,  or  enterprise,  acquired  some  property, 
he  soon  learned  that  his  gains  must  be  shared  by 
his  rulers,  petty  and  great,  until  all  that  remained 
was  not  worth  contending  for.  The  illustrations  are 
numberless.  Now,  under  British  rule,  law  reigns  in 
the  Punjab,  as  elsewhere,  to  the  infinite  advantage  of 
nine-tenths  of  the  people.  The  law  is  imperfectly 
administered,  indeed,  and  thereby  many  cases  of  op- 
pression occur,  and  many  criminals  escape  deserved 
punishment.  Of  this  the  people  bitterly  complain, 
oftentimes  ; but  they  see,  what  English  and  American 
declaimers  against  the  oppressions  of  the  Government 
do  not  seem  to  be  aware  of,  that  these  cases  of  abuse 
of  power  are  nearly  always  to  be  laid  to  the  charge 
of  the  native  officials,  or  of  the  state  of  society 
where  any  number  of  witnesses  can  be  hired  in  the 
next  bazar  for  sixpence  each,  to  swear  the  most 
solemn  oaths.  But  law  imperfectly  administered  is 
nevertheless  to  be  preferred  to  no  law,  and  this  the 
Hindus  well  understand.  We  might  easily  infer, 
therefore,  that  if  the  Hindus  do  not  like  the  British, 
they  are  at  least  far  enough  from  hating  them  to  such 


MIS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


1 66 

a degree  as  to  wish  for  their  expulsion  from  the 
country. 

Signal  examples  can  be  given  to  show  the  true 
state  of  native  feeling,  one  of  which  we  will  here  re- 
late. At  one  of  the  missionaiy  stations  of  our 
Church  in  Upper  India,  a native  chief  was  in  power 
when  the  missionary  first  visited  his  city,  which  then 
contained  a population  of  sixteen  thousand  souls. 
Soon  afterwards  the  old  chief  died  and  left  no  heirs. 
His  principality,  according  to  native  usage,  escheated 
to  the  paramount  power — in  this  case  the  British  ; if 
his  town  had  been  on  the  other  side  of  the  Sutlej,  it 
would  have  fallen  in  like  manner  to  the  miserable  old 
king  referred  to  above.  British  rule  was  set  up,  the 
reign  of  law  commenced,  people  from  neighboring 
districts  still  under  native  rulers  removed  to  this 
town,  and  in  a few  years  its  population  was  numbered 
at  nearly  eighty  thousand  souls.  Facts  like  these 
confute  whole  pages  of  declamation. 

Yet  many  believe  that  the  natives  of  India  are  be- 
coming more  and  more  impoverished  under  Occiden- 
tal rule.  Some  ascribe  this  to  one  cause,  some  to 
another.  The  opium  production  and  traffic  ; the  in- 
cessant drain  of  home  investments  by  the  British 
rulers  continuing  for  so  long  a period ; the  incubus  of 
the  system  of  caste ; — these  are  among  the  causes  of 
the  growing  poverty  of  many  classes, whatever  the  pros- 
perity of  others.  Yet  wise  and  good  men  are  not  all 
agreed  as  to  the  opium  question.  In  a note  to  an  able 
series  of  letters  reprinted  from  The  Times  on  Indian 
topics,  by  a gentleman  of  high  social  and  political  posi- 


THE  HINDUS  AND  THE  BRITISH. 


167 


tion,  who  is  at  the  same  time  a warm  friend  of  Chris- 
tian missions,  it  is  said  : “ The  tax  levied  upon  opium 
in  India,  by  means  of  the  monopoly,  and  the  tax 
upon  spirituous  liquors  in  this  country  [England]  are 
based  upon  the  same  principle — -that  of  placing  the 
greatest  possible  check  against  consumption,  by  carry- 
ing the  tax  to  the  highest  point  at  which  it  can  be 
maintained  without  encouraging  smuggling.”  On 
this  view  of  the  subject,  the  Government  connection 
with  the  opium  traffic  tends  to  restrict  its  sale  as 
compared  with  its  extent  if  the  monopoly  were  over- 
thrown ; in  other  words,  free  trade  in  opium  would 
increase  its  cultivation. 

The  rules  of  political  economy,  however,  are  not 
mathematical  axioms,  equally  true  in  all  nations ; 
what  is  expedient  in  England  or  America  may  be  per- 
nicious in  China  or  India.  But  we  prefer  to  look  at 
the  opium  traffic  as  necessarily  productive  of  great 
moral  evils.  It  is  greatly  worse  in  its  effects  upon  its 
victims  than  the  African  slave  trade.  The  poor  slaves 
are  often,  through  the  merciful  providence  of  God,  in 
bringing  good  out  of  evil,  placed  in  better  circum- 
stances than  before  their  captivity  ; but  the  victims 
of  opium-smoking  are  debased  in  mind,  body,  and 
estate, — made  wretched  in  this  life  and  miserable  in 
eternity.  We  can  conceive  of  no  good  result  from 
this  traffic,  except  in  a small  degree  through  the  apoth- 
ecary’s scales  ; while  its  evils  are  gigantic.  If  ever 
a case  existed  in  which  a Christian  Government  should 
interpose  its  power  to  put  down  traffic  of  any  kind, 
this  we  believe  is  such  a case.  We  honor  the  British 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


1 68 

Government  for  its  humane  efforts  to  suppress  the 
slave  trade,  and  we  hope  soon  to  honor  it  for  suppress- 
ing the  cultivation  and  export  of  opium. 

Contrary  to  the  opinion  of  our  friend  quoted  above, 
we  have  the  conviction  that  but  for  the  influence  and 
the  pecuniary  advances  of  the  Government,  in  aid  of 
the  native  cultivators,  the  growth  of  the  poppy  would 
be  very  limited  in  India. 


XLVI. 

THE  FIRST  DONATION  IN  INDIA  TO  THE 
LODIANA  MISSION. 

“ The  Maharajah  [great  king]  seemed  very  in- 
credulous when  the  missionary  assured  him  he  would 
not  appropriate  any  part  of  it  to  his  own  private  use, 
but  would  transfer  the  whole  of  it  to  the  mission  ; 
and  yet  the  first  contribution  acknowledged  in  the 
first  Report  of  the  Lodiana  Mission  is  this  khilat , 
valued  at  Rs.  2183.10.5” — about  $1,100. 

This  paragraph  refers  to  the  last  interview  accorded 
by  the  King  of  the  Punjab  in  1835  to  one  of  the  early 
missionaries  of  the  Board,  when  a parting  present — 
khilat  — was  given,  according  to  the  usage  of  the 
court.  It  consisted  of  a horse,  pieces  of  silk  and 
cotton  goods,  articles  of  jewelry,  etc.,  and  some 
hundreds  of  rupees  in  silver.  This  incident  pos- 
sessed some  interest  at  the  time,  and  it  is  mentioned 
particularly  in  “Two  Years  in  Upper  India,”  pages 


THE  FIRST  DONA  TION  IN  INDIA.  169 

184-186.  The  reference  to  it  now  suggests  one  or 
two  thoughts. 

1.  God  often  favors  his  cause  by  his  Providence. 
Many  examples  of  this  are  contained  in  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  and  many  in  the  history  of  the  Church. 
In  this  case,  a heathen  despotic  ruler,  a very  bad 
man, — avaricious  to  a degree,  immoral  above  most 
men, — was  led  to  make  a disposal  of  a small  part  of 
his  great  riches,  so  as  to  give  real,  and  at  the  time 
much  needed  aid  to  the  missionary  work.  He  meant 
it  not  so,  but  so  it  was  ordered  to  come  to  pass. 
And  no  doubt  many  examples  could  be  given  in 
every  mission  field,  as  well  as  in  every  Christian  life, 
of  the  unexpected  interposition  of  God’s  hand  in 
aid  of  his  people  and  their  efforts  to  do  good.  In 
this  we  find  a source  of  great  encouragement. 

2.  It  is  difficult  sometimes  not  so  much  to  be  disin- 
terested, as  to  appear  to  be  so.  In  this  case,  to  refuse 
the  king’s  present  would  have  given  great  offence, 
and  in  the  circumstances  would  have  been  attended 
with  much  danger ; to  accept  it,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  to  incur  the  risk  of  weakening  Christian  influ- 
ence, as  if  the  missionary  were  governed  by  merce- 
nary motives.  No  thought  of  keeping  it  for  private 
use  was  entertained,  but  some  solicitude  was  felt  as 
to  the  effect  of  receiving  it  at  all.  The  risk  of  losing 
proper  influence,  however,  was  averted  by  the  kind- 
ness of  an  English  friend,  who  took  charge  of  the 
khilat,  and  remitted  its  pecuniary  avails  to  the  finan- 
cial agents  of  the  Missionary  Board,  in  a way  that 
measurably  prevented  the  case  from  being  misunder- 


17c 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


stood  by  the  natives  ; but  the  horse  remained  in  the 
service  of  the  mission  for  several  years.  One  of  the 
articles,  not  sold  at  Lodiana,  was  sent  to  this  coun- 
try, and  its  sale  here  added  $50  to  the  sum  above 
mentioned,  as  a donation  to  the  Board. 

It  was  a small  matter  indeed  ; but  little  things 
often  exemplify  important  truths.  To  avoid  the 
appearance  of  evil  is  a sacred  duty  everywhere,  but 
especially  on  missionary  ground,  and  among  the 
closely  watching  heathen.  To  be  disinterested  is 
the  best  way  of  appearing  to  be.  It  is  needless  to 
add  that  this  is  a trait  or  a grace,  which  all  connected 
with  the  cause  of  missions,  at  home  or  abroad,  should 
clearly  manifest.  To  be  disinterested  is  to  be  like 
Christ,  and  like  the  Apostles.  It  is  one  of  the  essen- 
tial things  in  missionary  work. 

3.  Great  are  the  changes  witnessed  in  a few  years. 
The  old  Sikh  king  and  his  semi-barbaric  splendor 
have  passed  away.  A Christian  Government  rules 
over  the  Punjab.  Missionary  labors  are  in  full  prog- 
ress with  their  blessed  results  at  Lahor,  Umritsar, 
and  other  cities,  which  at  the  date  of  this  incident 
could  hardly  be  visited  by  any  European  or  American. 
The  Lord  reigns.  The  shields  of  the  earth  belong 
unto  God  : he  is  greatly  exalted. 


A PARSER  CEMETERY. 


171 


XLVII. 

A PARSEE  CEMETERY. 

On  a hill  about  three  miles  from  Bombay,  a circular 
building  is  erected  as  a place  of  burial.  It  is  about 
twenty  feet  high^  and  open  at  the  top,  with  a diameter 
of  fifty  or  sixty  feet.  Within  there  is  a smooth  pave- 
ment sloping  to  the  centre.  The  bodies  are  laid  on 
this  pavement,  which  is  divided  into  three  distinct 
parts  or  rows,  the  outer  for  men,  the  middle  for 
women,  and  the  inner  for  children.  The  bodies  are 
exposed  naked  to  the  sun  and  the  rain,  and  are  often 
destroyed  by  vultures  and  other  birds  of  prey ; the 
bones  are  left  to  fall  into  a well  or  pit  in  the  centre. 

This  is  a singular  kind  of  burial,  and  one  that  is 
very  repulsive  to  our  feelings.  We  are  led  to  inquire, 
By  whom  is  it  practiced  ? We  answer  not  by  sav- 
ages, nor  by  an  uncivilized  tribe,  but  by  a people  who 
in  some  respects  are  the  most  enlightened  in  India. 

The  Parsees  went  to  the  western  provinces  of  India 
about  a thousand  years  ago.  Their  original  home 
was  Persia.  The  ancient  Persians  were  worshippers 
of  fire,  and  when  conquered  by  the  Mohammedans, 
some  of  them  fled  to  other  countries. 

They  were  worshippers  of  fire  in  general,  and  par- 
ticularly of  the  sun,  which  the  more  intelligent  among 
them  regarded  as  the  visible  image  of  the  Creator. 
The  Parsees  still  worship  the  same  object,  and  great 
numbers  of  them  may  be  seen  at  Bombay  and  Surat 


172 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


late  in  the  afternoon,  paying  their  homage  to  the 
setting  sun. 

They  admit  two  principles,  one  the  cause  of  all 
good,  Orasmades ; and  the  other,  Ahriman,  the  cause 
of  all  evil  ; the  one  represented  by  light,  and  the 
other  by  darkness.  Their  sacred  books,  the  Zend- 
Avesta,  contain  many  moral  precepts  and  useful  direc- 
tions. Zoroaster,  their  founder,  seems  in  some  re- 
spects to  have  resembled  the  great  Chinese  moralist, 
Confucius,  enjoining  reverence  for  parents,  the  king, 
and  old  age,  teaching  useful  lessons  of  morality,  and 
making  more  of  the  temporal  welfare  of  his  followers 
than  of  their  spiritual  and  eternal  interests. 

The  Parsees  are  an  industrious,  enterprising,  and 
prospering  people,  superior  to  the  Hindus  in  various 
mechanical  and  mercantile  pursuits,  some  of  them 
acquiring  great  wealth  ; and  they  are  more  liberal  in 
their  views,  and  more  ready  to  adopt  the  customs  of 
European  nations.  But  they  do  not  seem  more  will- 
ing to  receive  the  humbling  doctrines  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion.  Their  self-righteousness  is  a great 
hinderance.  And  while  they  do  not  follow  the 
grosser  form$  of  idolatry,  like  the  Hindus,  they  are 
not  better  acquainted  with  the  true  God  and  eternal 
life.  Their  dying  hours  are  cheered  by  no  bright 
hopes  of  future  life.  Their  burial-place  is  in  the 
midst  of  beautiful  views  of  land  and  sea,  but  all 
within  is  repulsive,  and  all  beyond  is  darkness.  It  is 
no  gate  of  entrance,  like  the  Christian’s  peaceful  grave, 
to  “ a better  country,  even  an  heavenly.” 

A few  of  the  Parsees  have  become  hopeful  converts 


AFRICA  INLAND. 


173 


under  missionary  labor.  And  we  know  from  the 
Word  of  God,  that  the  Gospel  is  the  only  and  the  all- 
sufficient  means  of  making  men  of  every  tribe  ac- 
quainted with  the  way  of  life.  It  is  the  only  light 
that  can  take  away  the  gloom  of  a burial-place,  and 
fill  the  mind  with  pleasing  views  of  the  future  world, 
— making  those  who  receive  it  at  times  even  to  “ de- 
sire to  depart  and  to  be  with  Christ.”  Let  our  readers 
prize  this  heavenly  light,  and  labor  to  extend  its 
blessings  to  those  who  are  sitting  in  darkness  and  the 
shadow  of  death. 


XLVIII. 

AFRICA  INLAND— PROTECTORATE  OF  THE  CONGO. 

For  many  long  years  our  churches  have  been  try- 
ing to  reach  the  interior  of  Africa  by  their  missionary 
agencies.  Repeated  efforts  have  been  made  by  reso- 
lute and  specially  qualified  men  to  push  their  way  in- 
land. The  late  Rev.  James  L.  Mackey,  of  our  Corisco 
Mission,  fitted  far  beyond  most  men  to  succeed  in 
such  an  enterprise,  being  acquainted  with  the  African 
people,  knowing  some  of  their  languages,  acclimated, 
energetic,  conciliatory,  admirable  in  common  sense, 
was  yet  unsuccessful.  On  one  of  his  journeys  he  was 
accompanied  by  a gentleman,  employed  in  the  interest 
of  natural  history,  who  was  supplied  by  the  King  of 
Holland  with  everything  except  military  force  to  en- 
sure the  best  results,  but  their  joint  effort  was  fruit- 


174 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


less.  The  difficulties  are  partly  climatic — intense 
heat,  often  incessant  rains,  etc. ; partly  the  want  of 
roads,  conveyance,  food,  and  shelter ; chiefly  the 
jealousy  of  each  native  ruler  and  his  people,  always 
unwilling  to  permit  visitors  to  go  beyond  their  towns. 
They  wish  to  secure  for  themselves  every  advantage, 
real  or  imaginary,  to  be  derived  from  the  presence  of 
strangers ; or  else  their  suspicions  and  fears  as  to  the 
object  of  such  travellers  impose  an  almost  impene- 
trable barrier  to  their  progress. 

Stanley’s  grand  journey  on  the  river  Congo,  almost 
from  its  source  to  its  outlet,  gives  a new  impulse  to 
all  Interior  Africa  questions;  but  it  does  not  settle 
clearly  the  steps  to  be  immediately  taken  by  Mis- 
sionary Boards.  One  thing  they  clearly  can  not  do. 
They  can  not  send  missionaries  accompanied  by  sol- 
diers for  their  protection,  or  what  is  equivalent,  by 
armed  retainers.  Another  thing  seems  to  be  clear— 
they  can  not  send  missionary  families  far  from  their 
base  of  supplies ; nor  even  single  men,  ordinarily, 
without  reasonable  hope  of  safety  to  life,  and  of  suffi- 
cient personal  comfort  to  keep  off  sickness  and  to 
supply  their  daily  bread. 

We  are  referring  to  access  to  the  interior  from  the 
western  coast.  We  greatly  honor  our  Scotch  and 
English  brethren  for  their  noble  efforts  to  reach  the 
great  lake  country  from  the  eastern  side  of  Africa, 
and  we  trust  the  sad  losses  of  life  incurred  will  soon 
be  followed  by  safe  progress.  But  for  our  American 
churches  Providence  seems  to  order  the  duty  of  enter- 
ing the  dark  country  from  the  western  side,  in  order 


AFRICA  INLAND. 


175 


to  reach  the  tribes  in  the  western  part  of  the  conti- 
nent, and  especially  those  from  which  our  Africo- 
Americans  came  as  slaves.  So  viewing  the  subject, 
our  first  duty  is  to  strengthen  our  stations  on  the 
coast,  particularly  Gaboon,  Corisco,  Benita,  and  to 
form  new  stations  when  practicable,  north  and  south. 
Here  is  our  base  line  of  supplies  for  the  present, 
especially  for  the  supply  of  trained  and  educated 
native  Christians,  who  shall  be  ready  and  qualified  in 
due  time  to  take  up  the  line  of  march  for  the  interior. 
Next  we  should  keep  our  eye  on  the  rivers,  likely  to 
be  the  best  highways  for  some  years.  Our  Ogovi 
station  is  a step  inland.  Other  places  on  the  same 
river,  and  perhaps  on  the  lower  Congo,  may  soon  be 
within  reach.  Vigilant  watch,  moreover,  should  be 
kept  on  civil,  political,  exploring,  and  commercial 
movements,  with  the  purpose  of  utilizing  them,  each 
and  all,  in  the  service  of  Christian  missions. 

We  think  our  friends  would  do  well,  as  opportunity 
occurs,  to  urge  on  the  attention  of  our  public  men 
the  importance  of  establishing  a Protectorate  over 
the  river  Congo,  very  much  as  formerly  a Protectorate 
was  maintained  on  the  western  coast  against  the  rav- 
ages of  the  slave  trade.  Let  our  Government,  Great 
Britain,  France,  and  any  other  Powers,  unite  in  main- 
taining a few  armed  steamers  on  this  river,  and  keep 
open  roadways  around  its  falls.  This  measure  should 
be  taken,  not  for  political  jurisdiction,  nor  for  exclu- 
sive commercial  settlements,  but,  1.  For  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  terrible  traffic  in  slaves.  2.  For  the  pur- 
poses of  ligitimate  commerce,  open  and  free  to  all. 


176 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


The  staples  of  industry  in  those  vast  regions  are  very 
valuable  ; a great  demand  would  spring  up  for  manu- 
factured goods ; free  trade,  profitable  alike  to  natives 
and  foreigners,  would  be  developed.  3.  The  expense 
of  maintaining  this  Protectorate  would  be  small. 
Were  this  measure  adopted,  as  we  trust  it  soon  will 
be,  then  missionaries  and  their  schools,  the  printing 
press,  the  native  Church  and  its  well-trained  ministry, 
in  short,  the  Word  of  God,  the  Gospel,  would  turn 
this  dark  land  into  a land  of  light  and  peace. 

These  thoughts  invest  our  missions  in  Africa  with 
increasing  interest.  We  may  not  be  able  at  once  to 
send  missionaries  far  into  the  interior,  but  we  should 
stand  ready  to  go  in  and  possess  the  land  as  soon  as 
Providence  shall  open  the  door.  And  we  trust  it  is 
opening.  We  have  some  native  men  in  training;  we 
hope  for  many  more.  More  men  from  this  country 
are  also  greatly  needed. 


XLIX. 

MISSIONS  TO  THE  CHINESE  IN  THIS  COUNTRY. 

The  plans  of  missionary  work  for  any  unevangelized 
people  should  have  reference  to  their  number,  their 
character  and  circumstances,  the  supply  of  laborers, 
etc.  As  to  the  first  of  these — in  twenty-five  years 
two  hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand  Cantonese — no 
other  Chinese — have  come  here.  Of  these,  about 
one-tenth  have  died,  and  ninety-seven  thousand  have 


MISSIONS  TO  THE  CHINESE. 


1 77 


returned  to  their  own  country.  There  may  be  in  this 
country  now,  in  1877,  about  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
thousand  Chinese.  It  is  not  likely  that  this  number 
will  be  largely  increased — an  opinion  which,  we  think, 
can  be  clearly  sustained,  but  we  do  not  dwell  upon  it 
The  net  result  of  twenty-five  years  of  this  Chinese 
immigration  is  much  smaller  than  tke  influx  of  Irish 
or  of  Germans  in  a single  year,  repeatedly.  In  the 
next  place,  as  to  their  character  and  circumstances — 
they  are  mostly  young  men,  or  men  without  their 
wives,  seeking  to  make  money,  contented  with  small 
gains,  and  settled  in  their  purpose  of  going  home  to 
China.  There  are  hardly  any  families,  few  women, 
fewer  children.  Many  Chinese  are  found  in  San 
Francisco  and  neighboring  places,  but  most  of  them 
are  widely  scattered,  and  move  often  from  place  to 
place.  They  all  mean  to  go  back  to  their  native  villages 
And  in  the  third  place,  if  we  are  correctly  informed, 
six  of  our  leading  denominations  are  already  engaged 
in  missionary  work  for  these  Chinese  visitors,  or  will 
be  so  engaged  in  a short  time.  Five  or  more  min- 
isters are  now,  or  soon  will  be,  giving  most  of  their 
time  to  it ; several  devoted  Christian  women  are  em- 
ployed as  missionaries,  and  a number  of  native  Chris- 
tian assistants — a goodly  company.  Besides  these, 
many  of  our  pastors  and  church  members  are  giving 
their  invaluable  influence  and  effort  to  bring  the 
Chinese  in  the  vicinity  of  their  churches,  respectively, 
to  a saving  knowledge  of  Christ.  Let  us  not  under- 
rate nor  understate  the  efforts  actually  in  progress. 
Rather  let  us  be  thankful  for  so  much  that  is  well 


i7» 


MIS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


begun,  and  working  well  for  the  best  results.  Not  a 
few  of  the  Chinese  have  been  converted.  Several 
have  been  prepared  for  usefulness,  and  employed 
among  their  own  people,  both  in  this  country  and  in 
China.  The  work  of  the  Presbyterian  mission  for 
many  years  has  been  singularly  prospered,  and  has 
exerted  a widely-spread  influence  ; no  other  agency 
has  so  much  leavened  the  minds  of  these  people  with 
Gospel  truth,  and  done  so  much  to  awaken  among 
them  kindly  feelings  towards  the  Christian  religion. 
Those  who  speak  disparagingly  of  this  work  show  how 
little  they  understand  it,  and  incur  a grave  responsi- 
bility. 

We  now  add  “ a few  remarks  ” : 

1.  Missionary  work  for  these  Chinese  must  be 
recognized  as  the  common  work  of  our  American 
churches.  It  is  no  longer  the  work  of  one  denomina- 
tion. And  yet  as  it  was  the  privilege  of  our  Church 
to  begin  this  work,  as  we  are  still  doing  most  in  it, 
and  as  God  has  greatly  favored  our  labors,  we  should 
be  encouraged  to  go  onward. 

2.  The  chief  general  interest  of  this  work  grows  out 
of  its  connection  with  the  evangelization  of  the  prov- 
ince of  Canton.  There  are  over  twenty  millions  of 
souls  in  that  one  province,  and  there  are  but  few 
missionaries  among  them.  The  main  supply  of  native 
laborers  must  be  trained  up  there  ; but  some  of  those 
who  are  converted  and  trained  in  our  country,  will,  as 
we  hope,  carry  the  Gospel  to  their  native  land.  This 
training  must  be  done  here  just  as  it  is  done  in  Canton 
— mainly  by  the  personal  instruction  and  example  of 


MISSIONS  TO  THE  CHINESE. 


1 79 


missionaries  who  can  use  their  language.  We  are  in 
danger  of  making  too  much  of  their  learning  En- 
glish ; this  to  native  laborers  in  China  is  considered  a 
very  doubtful  qualification,  as  all  experience  shows. 
Here  in  our  country  we  may  teach  them  English  as  a 
means  of  keeping  them  in  connection  with  our  Chris- 
tian people,  and  in  the  hope  of  their  conversion  ; but 
for  best  influence,  for  contented  evangelizing  labor, 
and  for  expense  of  living  not  beyond  the  ability  of 
the  native  churches  in  self-support,  their  training  must 
be,  first,  in  the  vernacular,  and,  second,  in  most  cases 
in  their  own  country.  Let  these  converted  Cantonese, 
at  any  rate,  whether  here  or  at  home,  be  trained  for 
evangelizing  work,  just  as  are  converts  amongst  other 
peoples,  just  as  were  the  first  Christians.  Happily 
these  sensible,  practical  Chinese  care  very  little  for 
costly  buildings,  and  they  little  need  expensive  en- 
dowments for  their  best  instruction.  Our  American 
system  of  theological  instruction  may  suit  an  ad- 
vanced condition  of  the  Christian  Church,  but  not  the 
first  stages  of  evangelizing  work  amongst  a heathen 
people.  This  remark  is  one  of  wide  bearing,  Tut  we 
think  its  correctness  will  not  be  called  in  question. 
What  our  Chinese  need  is  preaching  to  many  or  few, 
chiefly  by  native  ministers,  patient  as  well  as  godly 
teachers — American  or  native,  and  Christian  sym- 
pathy. This  sympathy  will  go  far  to  counteract  the 
miserable  “ Hoodlum  ” spirit  of  the  times.  Already 
examples  may  be  found  where  to  be  known  as  “ a 
Loomis  man  ” far  away  in  Montana,  or  “ a Condit 
man  ” in  southern  California,  will  secure  for  one  of 


i8o 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


our  countrymen  a cordial  welcome  from  these  Chinese 
heathens,  where,  otherwise,  he  would  be  kept  at  a 
distance  through  distrust  and  suspicion. 

3.  Our  missionaries  should  be  enabled  to  visit 
Chinese  settlements,  and  to  assist  the  native  brethren 
employed  as  Bible-readers  or  colporteurs.  It  is  not 
so  much  a large  number  of  American  missionaries 
that  we  need,  as  it  is  that  they  should  be  able  to  en- 
gage in  this  practical  work. 

4.  As  to  schools — these  are  important,  but  confin- 
ing ; the  ordained  missionaries  should  not  be  tied 
down  to  them.  To  employ  teachers  on  salaries  in- 
volves considerable  expense.  It  is  but  a small  part 
of  our  Chinese  visitors  who  will  ever  be  found  in 
these  schools — only  those  who  wish  to  learn  English 
— perhaps  not  one  in  a hundred  ; but  then  all  who  do 
enter  as  scholars  are  brought  more  or  less  under 
Christian  influence  and  sympathy,  and  form  a con- 
necting link  between  our  churches  and  the  Chinese 
around  them.  We  venture  to  offer  the  suggestion 
that  these  schools  should  be  conducted  somewhat  on 
the  Sabbath-school  system.  They  are  held,  we  under- 
stand, only  in  the  evening,  five  evenings  in  the  week. 
By  a little  organization,  the  churches  of  several  de- 
nominations taking  a part  in  it,  a suitable  room  might 
be  provided  ; a lecture  or  Sabbath-school  room  would 
answer.  Teachers — men  and  women,  young  men  and 
maidens — might  be  enlisted,  a certain  number  to 
spend  an  evening  in  their  turn,  under  such  general 
superintendence  as  the  pastors  or  leading  church-mem- 
bers could  readily  secure.  This  would  bring  the 


SABBATH-SCHOOL  WORK  FOR  THE  CHINESE.  181 


Chinese  desirous  of  instruction  into  close  relations 
and  sympathy  with  the  church  or  churches  of  the 
place,  and  it  would  involve  but  little,  if  any,  expense. 


L. 

SABBATH-SCHOOL  WORK  FOR  THE  CHINESE. 

We  are  glad  to  see  that  two  of  our  churches  in 
Western  cities,  have  made  arrangements  for  teach- 
ing Chinese  scholars  in  their  Sabbath-schools.  There 
are  other  places  where  this  might  well  be  done.  The 
laundries  and  factories  where  Chinese  are  at  work 
will  furnish  the  scholars ; the  congregations  can  fur- 
nish the  teachers ; one  scholar  to  each  teacher  for 
a lesson  longer  or  shorter,  the  first  scholar  then  to 
give  place  to  a second,  until  the  number  having 
some  knowledge  of  our  language  can  make  a class. 
Such  instruction  ought  to  be  given  in  a chapel  or 
Sabbath-school  room,  not  in  private  dwellings  rented 
for  the  purpose.  The  religious  services  of  the  place, 
the  sight  of  Christians  at  worship,  the  singing  of 
psalms  and  hymns,  all  tend  to  give  them  correct 
ideas  of  the  Christian  religion,  such  as  they  do  not 
equally  receive  in  an  ordinary  room.  The  Chinese 
who  will  come  want  to  learn  English.  But  they  will 
learn  a great  deal  more.  They  will  learn  that  they 
have  friends  in  this  country ; and  they  can  be  moved 
by  grateful  and  affectionate  feelings,  more  than  any 


182 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


heathen  people  with  whom  rve  are  acquainted.  They 
will  find  themselves  under  the  influence  of  the  Church 
of  Christ.  They  will  learn  the  way  of  salvation.  They 
will  become  followers  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  They 
will  become  prepared  to  speak  of  the  Gospel  to  their 
countrymen,  here  or  in  China. 

The  object  of  this  paragraph  is  to  commend  the 
example  of  the  churches  above  mentioned  to  min- 
isters, elders,  Sabbath-school  superintendents,  and 
others,  wherever  there  are  Chinese.  They  are  now 
found  in  some  places  in  little  companies,  isolated, 
strangers,  and  too  often  treated  with  un-Christian  and 
un-American  harshness.  By  the  blessing  of  God  all 
that  is  objectionable  amongst  them  may  be  corrected, 
and  especially  may  they  become  “ fellow-citizens  with 
the  saints  and  of  the  household  of  God.” 


LI. 

OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 

....  The  main  object  of  this  paper  is  to  consider 
how  the  country  can  best  order  its  relations  to  the  In- 
dians, and  then  to  ask  what  more  the  Church  should 
do  for  them.  This  object  will  not  require  the  discus- 
sion of  the  policies  and  measures  of  former  years, 
though  the  humane  intention  of  our  General  Govern- 
ment in  its  treatment  of  the  Indians  from  the  begin- 
ning should  be  fully  recognized.  We  need  not  dwell 


OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


‘83 

on  the  evils  they  have  suffered  from  our  countrymen, 
but  it  is  well  for  us  to  remember  that  these  have  com- 
monly sprung  from  narrow  and  oppressive  State  legis- 
lation, from  unprincipled  officials,  and  still  more  from 
the  contact  of  the  worst  class  of  white  people  with  the 
Indians  on  the  frontiers.  The  general  aim  of  the  Gov- 
ernment at  Washington,  representing  well  in  this  re- 
spect the  country  as  a whole,  has  been  marked  by  the 

spirit  of  conciliation  and  kindness Indeed,  it 

may  be  questioned  whether  some  of  our  earlier  Presi- 
dents did  not  express  stronger  pacific  purposes  than 
the  public  sentiment  of  our  day  would  sustain  ; see  the 
policy  of  Washington  in  Sparks’  Life,  page  432  : “ He 
aimed  to  conciliate  them  by  good  usage,  to  obtain 
their  lands  by  fair  purchase,  to  make  treaties  with 
them  on  terms  of  equity  and  reciprocal  advantage, 

and  strictly  to  redeem  every  pledge But  their 

faithlessness,  ravages,  and  murders  were  not  to  be 
tolerated,  from  whatever  cause  they  arose.  After  fail- 
ing at  every  attempt  at  pacification,  he  was  convinced 
that  war  was  the  only  alternative.”  This  was  the  true 
policy  of  peace.  Still  stronger  is  the  language  of  Jef- 
ferson— see  his  works, passim.  .We  cite  a few  words 
from  his  speech  to  the  Ottawa,  Chippewa,  Pottawata- 
mie,  Wyandot,  and  Seneca  chiefs,  April  22,  1808: 
“Your  lands  are  your  own  ; your  right  to  them  shall 
never  be  violated  by  us ; they  are  yours  to  keep  or 

sell  as  you  please You  are  always  free  to  say 

‘ No,’  [to  the  requests  to  buy  their  land],  and  it  will 
never  disturb  our  friendship  for  you.”  Jefferson  advo- 
cated the  principle  involved  in  our  modern  phrase, 


184 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


that  it  is  better  to  feed  the  Indians  than  to  fight 
them,  when  he  said,  in  a letter  to  Charles  Carroll,  April 
15,  1791,  “ The  most  economical  as  well  as  the  most 
humane  conduct  towards  them  is  to  bribe  them  into 
peace,  and  to  retain  them  in  peace  by  eternal  bribes,” 
and  then  he  goes  on  to  deprecate  a recent  military 
expedition  against  them,  as  costing  enough  “ for  pres- 
ents on  the  most  liberal  scale  for  one  hundred  years.” 

It  is,  however,  the  living  questions  of  the  hour  that 
should  now  [1873]  engage  attention.  Among  these,  in- 
credible as  it  may  seem,  we  meet  the  idea  of  extermina- 
tion; flippant  speakers  and  writers  rejoice  over  “the 
dead  Indian  ” as  their  type  of  perfection  ; more  earn- 
est men  wish  they  were  “ out  of  the  way  ” ; others  still 
would  fold  their  hands  and  “let  them  pass  away”; 
covetous  men  want  their  land,  and  do  not  care  by 
what  means  its  possession  can  be  secured  ; many  who 
would  do  them  no  harm  yet  regard  them  only  as  ob- 
jects of  fear  and  aversion.  All  these  shades  of  opinion 
end  in  a common  result — the  extinction  of  the  Indian 
race.  It  must  be  owned  that  some  things  seem  to  jus- 
tify this  direful  theory.  The  wild  Indians  are  mostly 
savages,  cruel,  treacherous — people  whose  vicinity 
awakens  only  feelings  of  apprehension  and  even  ter- 
ror. They,  and  far  too  many  of  the  half-settled  tribes, 
are  most  undesirable  neighbors,  idle,  lazy,  thievish, 
dirty,  every  way  disagreeable — the  furthest  removed 
from  “ the  noble  red  men  ” of  our  writers  of  romance. 
Nevertheless,  they  are  men  of  like  passions  with  us, 
capable  of  improvement,  and  of  living  a Christian  life. 
As  to  “ killing  them  off,”  or  “ shooting  them  down 


OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


1S5 


like  wolves,”  we  have  not  so  learnt  the  lesson  of  hu- 
manity, to  say  nothing  of  religion.  We  are  a civilized 
people.  We  do  not  sanction  murder,  violence,  nor 
inhumanity.  We  can  not  adopt  even  the  policy  of  do- 
ing nothing,  letting  them  pass  away,  only  punishing 
them  for  acts  of  violence  against  white  people — a part 
of  the  theory  of  extermination,  a policy  worthy  of 
him  who  asked,  “Am  I my  brother’s  keeper  ? ” This 
method  does  not  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  case.  It 
does  not  save  the  lives  of  our  own  people,  nor  protect 
our  advancing  railroads,  nor  make  the  wilderness  to 
become  a fruitful  field  ; it  does  not  make  friends  and 
fellow-citizens  of  those  who  are  capable  of  becoming 
intelligent,  industrious,  well-ordered  Christian  people. 

As  a means  to  this  end,  we  can  no  longer  adopt 
the  theory  of  regarding  the  Indian  tribes  as  foreign 
or  independent  powers,  with  whom  our  Government 
should  form  treaties.  Whatever  may  have  been  ex- 
pedient at  the  beginning  of  this  century,  it  is  not  now 
best,  either  for  the  Indians  or  for  ourselves,  to  conduct 
our  intercourse  with  them  upon  this  idea  ; though  we 
should  certainly  fulfil  all  the  engagements  we  have 

made  with  them  by  treaty On  the  other  hand, 

we  can  not  yet  deal  with  the  Indians  as  in  many  re- 
spects good  American  citizens.  Those  amongst  them 
who  have  become  intelligent  and  industrious,  in  a 
word,  civilized,  should  be  admitted  to  the  rights  of 
citizenship.  We  need  be  embarrassed  by  no  doubts  on 
this  subject.  Whatever  reasons  may  have  led  to  the 
clause  in  the  Constitution,  excluding  “ Indians  not 
taxed  ” from  the  count  of  our  people  in  the  apportion- 


M I S SION  A R V PAPERS. 


1 86 

ment  of  members  of  Congress,  these  reasons  should 
equally  weigh  against  the  enumeration  of  any  other 
non-taxed  class;  but  the  clause  itself  clearly  implies 
that  Indians  who  are  taxed  are  to  be  counted,  and  so 
recognized  as  citizens.  The  theory  that  the  Indians 
are  foreigners  has  no  place  in  the  Constitution,  and 
our  action  on  this  theory  has  been  merely  a usage 
which  was  apparently  proper  at  the  time.  Our  States 
will  readily  accord  to  them  the  rights  of  citizenship  as 
soon  as  they  are  prepared  for  it ; some  of  the  States, 
we  believe,  have  already  admitted  them  to  these  rights. 
But  in  regard  to  Indians  not  yet  civilized — especially 
to  those  who  are  still  in  a savage  or  wild  state,  the 
idea  of  citizenship  is  inadmissible.  They  ought,  how- 
ever, to  be  placed  under  the  protection  of  law,  and 
certainly  their  testimony  should  not  be  excluded  in 
judicial  cases.  That  they  could  be  held  and  treated 
as  responsible  to  our  courts  of  justice  for  their  con- 
duct does  not  seem  practicable,  considering  their 
ignorance  of  our  language,  their  own  dialects  unknown 
to  most  of  our  magistrates,  their  habits  of  life, 
their  want  of  acquaintance  with  the  elementary  princi- 
ples of  our  legal  system.  Still,  they  should  not  be 
left  in  a lawless  state,  and  they  need  not  be  so  left, 
as  will  appear  further  on. 

The  true  idea  of  the  relation  between  the  country 
and  the  Indians  is  that  of  Guardian  and  Ward.  Not 
in  every  strict  legal  particular,  but  in  the  general  sense 
expressed  by  Blackstone,  who  describes  a guardian 
as  having  “ charge  of  the  maintenance  and  education 
of  the  minor,”  or  as  defined  in  one  of  our  dictionaries, 


OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


187 


“ who  has  the  custody  or  property  of  ....  a person 
who  is  incapable  of  managing  his  own  affairs  ” ; so,  a 
ward  is  “ one  who  is  guarded.”  This  relation  in  the 
case  before  us  has  grown  up  as  naturally  almost  and 
as'inevitably  as  that  between  the  State  and  its  orphan, 
lunatic,  and  pauper  classes  of  people.  It  is  Christian 
guardianship  that  is  needed  now,  to  be  exercised  on 
broad  views  of  statesmanship,  looking  to  the  welfare 
of  the  people  of  all  classes,  white  or  red,  but  ever  aim- 
ing to  do  what  is  wise,  humane,  and  just  towards  its 
Indian  wards.  On  this  basis,  we  believe,  all  Indian 
questions  can  be  solved  ; on  any  other,  we  do  not  see 
how  they  can  be  well  settled. 

This  theory,  and  any  theory,  must  stand  the  test 
of  practical  difficulties.  First  among  these  is  the  ques- 
tion of  land.  The  possession  of  the  land  now  occu- 
pied in  some  measure  as  “reservations”  and  in  larger 
measure  not  occupied  in  any  definite  sense  by  roving 
Indians,  lies  at  the  foundation  of  many  of  our  Indian 
troubles,  and  tests  severely  our  own  character  as  a 
Christian  nation.  Jefferson  truly  said  in  1786,  “The 
want  [of  attention  to  the  rights  of  Indians,  chiefly  in 
respect  to  their  land]  is  a principal  source  of  dishonor 
to  the  American  character,”  and  so  it  has  been  too 
often  since  his  day.  The  Indians  themselves,  the  rail- 
road companies,  the  speculators  in  lands,  the  hardy 
laboring  men  ever  pressing  to  the  front,  are  all  in- 
volved in  the  settlement  of  this  subject.  Let  us  ask, 
how  would  a guardian,  at  once  wise,  benevolent,  and 
sufficiently  powerful,  act  in  this  matter?  He  would, 
to  begin,  certainly  fulfil  to  the  letter  all  his  own  en- 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


1 88 

gagements,  and  take  not  an  acre  from  any  ward  to 
whom  he  had  assigned  it,  without  his  own  full  and  free 
consent.  But,  to  go  to  the  basis  of  title  or  ownership 
of  the  land,  in  all  regions  not  closed  against  inquiry 
by  his  own  acts,  we  can  hardly  believe  that  such  a 
guardian  would  recognize  his  Indian  wards  as  having 
anything  more  than  a possessory  right  to  the  land. 
Such  right  was  important  to  them,  when  they  de- 
pended on  the  chase  for  subsistence,  but  it  is  of  little 
value  when  the  buffalo  or  the  deer  no  longer  rewards 
their  skill.  On  the  method  of  supporting  themselves 
by  industry,  which  they  must  henceforth  adopt,  a few 
hundred  good  acres  are  worth  more  to  their  owner 
than  hundreds  of  square  miles  held  as  a hunting 
ground. 

The  setting  apart  of  land  in  reserve  for  the  Indians 
will  of  necessity  have  to  be  continued  for  the  present. 
The  Government,  having  the  right  of  eminent  do- 
main, and  acting  as  public  guardian  in  this  case, 
should  order  the  selection  of  these  reserves  so  as  to 
secure  homes  for  the  Indians  on  land  capable  of 
yielding  them  a support,  and  so  placed  as  to  make  the 
intervention  of  military  force  if  need  be  readily  prac- 
ticable. No  more  mistakes  should  be  made  as  in 
placing  the  Winnebagoes  at  Crow  Creek  and  the 
Navajoes  at  the  Bosque  Redondo — costing  the  coun- 
try millions  of  dollars  and  the  Indians  great  suffering 
and  discouragement,  and  ending  in  their  removal  at 
great  expense  to  new  reserves — all  attributable  to  the 
want  of  intelligent  consideration  by  the  Government 
officials,  if  not  to  less  creditable  reasons.  Almost 


OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS.  189 

equally  to  be  shunned  is  the  mistake  of  making  the 
reservation  too  large,  giving  to  a few  thousand  Indians 
a district  as  large  as  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  These 
reserves  should  be  chosen  not  only  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Indians,  but  with  reference  also  to  military  oper 
ations,  which  will  be  indispensable  for  a time  in  the 
government  of  wild  tribes,  and  the  protection  of  the 
peaceful  Indians.  A carefully  considered  line  of 
policy  should  be  adopted  in  this  matter,  at  the  earliest 
day ; the  hasty  though  well-meant  action  of  “ Com- 
missioners,” Agents,  or  military  officers,  does  not 
meet  the  exigencies  of  the  case.  Their  action  should 
be  conformed  to  the  requirements  of  a wise  and 
comprehensive  policy,  and  not  sporadic,  partial,  em- 
barrassing in  the  future,  often  doing  great  harm,  as 
in  the  Bosque  Redondo  case  already  mentioned. 
The  reserved  land  should  be  allotted  to  Indian  fam- 
ilies in  severalty,  a suitable  tract  to  each,  with  title 
inalienable  unless  by  the  consent  of  the  Government. 
Then  should  follow  the  encouragement  of  farming, 
stock  raising,  etc.,  the  fostering  of  schools,  and  es- 
pecially the  encouragement  of  the  religious  and  benev- 
olent agencies  of  our  Missionary  Boards.  All  directly 
religious  efforts  for  the  conversion  of  the  Indians 
should  of  course  be  made  at  the  expense  of  the 
churches;  but  the  Government  may  well  charge  itself 
with  the  cost  of  education,  providing  suitable  build- 
ings, paying  the  salaries  of  the  teachers,  etc. ; in  a 
word,  sustaining  to  the  Indians  in  education  the  rela- 
tion which  most  of  our  State  Governments  sustain  to 
their  citizens  in  our  common  school  system.  It  may 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


190 

well  admit  the  co-operation  of  our  Missionary  Boards, 
calling  on  them  to  nominate  persons  for  appointment 
as  teachers,  providing  them  with  houses  free  of  rent, 
but  in  no  case  giving  them  land  in  fee.  Other  mat- 
ters of  detail  would  of  course  receive  due  considera- 
tion. 

On  the  reservations,  the  United  States  Indian 
Agent  represents  the  Government,  but  his  functions 
need  to  be  defined,  his  authority  limited,  his  official 
course  regulated  by  statute,  as  far  as  possible.  Per- 
haps too  much  is  now  left  to  the  mere  discretion  of 
these  important  officers.  We  would  give  them  the 
functions  of  our  magistrates,  empowering  them  to 
hold  courts  of  limited  jurisdiction,  itinerant  in  some 
cases,  their  proceedings  being  of  record,  and  to  be 
reviewed  by  superior  officers  appointed  for  the  pur- 
pose. All  this  requires  what  has  been  too  long 
delayed,  the  enactment  of  laws,  — the  fewer,  the- 
simpler,  the  more  easily  understood  and  enforced,  the 
better  for  all  parties.  We  can  not  expect  good  results 
from  the  absence  of  law  among  the  Indians,  as  is  at 
present  the  case,  in  too  many  tribes;  their  usages 
make  a poor  substitute  for  a few  simple,  good  laws. 
In  this  matter,  we  should  think,  the  best  legal  minds 
of  the  country,  under  the  direction  of  the  best  com- 
mon-sense, might  find  an  interesting  sphere  of  study, 
and  render  invaluable  service  to  our  poor  wards. 

The  intervention  of  the  military  power  would  no 
doubt  have  to  be  invoked,  even  under  the  most 
humane  guardianship, — indeed,  as  a resource  of  hu- 
manity itself.  The  reserves  being  properly  grouped, 


OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS.  191 

and  military  posts  chosen  with  reference  to  probable 
duty,  no  large  part  of  our  army  need  be  held  in  readi- 
ness for  Indian  service.  Indians  in  some  tribes  are 
now  employed  as  policemen,  to  good  purpose.  We 
would  employ  them  as  soldiers  also  in  the  regular 
army,  in  rank  and  file,  with  promotion  for  good  con- 
duct to  the  grade  of  sergeant  or  even  higher  ; enlist- 
ing those  who  can  understand  the  few  English  words 
needed,  and  taking  them  from  the  settled  and  civil- 
ized or  semi-civilized  tribes  ; continuing,  however,  in 
central  positions  detachments  of  the  troops  as  now 
organized.  These  native  soldiers  would  make  splen- 
did troops,  as  was  abundantly  shown  during  the  late 
Rebellion  ; even  in  the  recent  Modoc  conflicts  our 
Indian  allies  seem  to  have  rendered  the  best  service 
on  the  side  of  the  authorities.  Such  soldiers  would 
seldom  desert  the  service,  and  so  an  immense  expense 
to  the  Government  would  be  avoided  : they  would 
rarely  invade  the  purity  of  Indian  homes  or  so  mal- 
treat their  own  people  as  to  bring  on  the  outbreaks 
which  now  frequently  occur  from  this  cause  ; they 
would  be  themselves  in  a good  school,  learning  habits 
of  obedience  to  authority,  respect  for  each  other’s 
rights,  punctuality,  neatness  in  dress.  We  would  not 
have  them  arrayed  in  full  regimentals,  but  merely  in 
the  simplest  military  costume  ; perhaps  the  old  Indian 
hunting  shirt,  not  dissimiliar  to  the  French  blouse , 
with  slight  trimming  or  ornament,  would  make  the 
best  uniform.  The  example  of  the  British  governing 
India  largely  by  its  own  natives  as  soldiers,  will  not 
apply  in  some  material  respects  to  the  case  before  us  ; 


192 


MIS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


but  in  other  respects,  especially  referring  to  the  Hill 
troops,  or  Irregular  Battalions,  with  but  few  European 
officers  to  each,  we  think  this  example  instructive  and 
worthy  of  imitation.  We  would  of  course  wish  our 
Indian  military  force  to  be  organized,  equipped,  and 
trained  by  our  accomplished  military  officers  on  an 
American  basis,  not  on  that  of  British  India,  with  all 
the  adaptations  which  our  special  circumstances  re- 
quire. All  this  we  suppose  to  be  included  in  the  idea 
of  a wise  and  humane  guardianship.  Without  pro- 
tection and  peace,  the  Indians  can  no  more  reach 
settled  prosperity  than  a community  of  prisoners  or 
lunatics  unguarded. 

All  these  things  should  be  so  ordered  as  to  lead  to 
the  result  of  the  Indians  becoming  disbanded,  losing 
their  tribal  relations,  as  soon  as  they  are  civilized. 
I.  It  is  not  advisable  in  this  country  to  foster  class 
distinctions  among  our  people ; we  want  here  no 
Irish,  no  German,  no  Indian  party.  2.  Our  political 
system  is  comprehensive  and  flexible  enough  to  em- 
brace people  of  all  nationalities  and  fuse  them  in  a 
common  brotherhood.  3.  Indians,  once  intelligent, 
moral,  and  industrious,  will  make  as  good  citizens  as 
any  other  people.  4.  Our  States  will  readily  grant 
them,  when  so  qualified,  the  rights  of  citizenship ; or 
else  incur  the  risk  of  having  a useless,  improvident, 
burdensome  class  of  persons  to  be  governed  by  force 
and  supported  by  charity.  5.  We  can  see  no  reason 
for  not  leaving  this  matter  of  citizenship  to  be  settled 
by  the  common  principles  which  control  political 
rights  in  this  country. 


OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


193 


If,  however,  the  Indians  do  not  become  civilized, 
and  fitted  to  be  citizens,  abandoning  tribal  relations, 
and  seeking  their  support  like  other  people  in  what- 
ever pursuits  they  may  choose,  then  we  have  a more 
difficult  problem  to  consider — What  shall  be  done 
with  them  as  uncivilized  ? Those  of  them  who  are 
savage  and  wild,  we  apprehend  must  be  dealt  with 
under  the  general  idea  of  prisoners,  somewhat  at 
large.  They  must  be  restrained  by  sufficient  power, 
and  not  allowed  to  prey  on  other  Indians  nor  on 
white  people.  There  is  little  use  in  trying  to  reason 
with  savages  ; it  is  no  part  of  any  true  “ peace  policy  ’’ 
from  the  time  of  Washington  downward,  to  withdraw 
the  military  arm  from  the  settlement  of  Indian  ques- 
tions ; but  we  now  see  clearly  that  this  policy  of 
armed  peace  involves  feeding  the  wild  Indians.  They 
can  not  be  expected  to  remain  quiet  in  restricted 
territorial  limits  if  they  are  starving.  And  it  is  far 
less  expensive  to  the  country  to  send  them  needed 
supplies  of  only  necessary  things,  such  as  beef,  pork, 
flour,  salt,  soap,  and  coarse  but  serviceable  clothing, 
with  a few  agricultural  tools,  than  to  keep  up  costly 
military  and  still  more  costly  commissariat  estab- 
lishments for  incessant  Indian  wars.  On  the  plan 
of  supplying  their  wants,  small  detachments  of 
troops  will  suffice  to  keep  the  peace.  We  agree 
with  a late  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  that 
this  is  a low  view  of  a grave  state  of  public  in- 
terests, but  as  a provisional  arrangement  it  is  certainly 
wise  for  us  and  humane  for  the  savages.  It  is  deal- 
ing with  them  as  we  deal  with  prisoners  in  our  peni- 
9 


194 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


tentiaries,  restraining  them,  and  supplying  their  wants. 
And  then  our  good  Government  acting  towards  them 
uprightly  and  in  good  faith,  on  a liberal  policy,  and 
our  benevolent  people  going  amongst  them  as  traders 
and  friends,  giving  particular  kindness  to  their  chil- 
dren, we  may  confidently  hope  for  a great  change  in 
their  character.  Before  long  they  will  pass  from  the 
condition  of  wild  Indians  to  that  of  somewhat  settled 
if  not  yet  civilized  communities — such,  for  example? 
as  most  of  the  tribes  now  living  in  Nebraska.  These 
tribes  are  living  on  reservations,  certainly  to  their 
great  advantage  in  many  respects.  Yet  they  can  not 
and  do  not  feel  settled.  Their  reserves  are  but  islands 
in  the  midst  of  the  white  population.  Too  many  of 
their  neighbors  covet  their  land.  The  Omahas,  for 
example,  men,  women,  and  children,  about  1,000 
souls,  the  remnant  of  the  tribe,  have  reserved  land 
of  a quality  equal  to  any  in  the  State,  and  capable  of 
supporting  a population  of  50,000  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. They  owe  their  large  advance  over  other  tribes 
to  missionary  labor  amongst  them.  But  still  too 
many  of  them  live  in  a poor  way.  They  would  prob- 
ably be  in  better  circumstances  if  they  removed  to 
the  Indian  Territory.  Their  land,  345,600  acres, 
would  sell  for  a good  price  ; every  dollar  of  the  pro- 
ceeds of  sale  should  be  held  by  the  Government  in 
trust  for  them,  after  deducting  the  expense  of  removal, 
which  need  not  require  a large  sum.  In  their  new 
home  they  would  be  in  better  circumstances  than  they 
can  expect  to  be  in  Nebraska.  And  the  same  is  true  of 
other  tribes,  now  somewhat  settled,  but  not  civilized. 


OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


195 


The  Indian  Territory,  we  have  thought  for  years, 
might  become  the  home  of  all  the  Indians  in  our 
States  and  Territories,  excepting  those  prepared  to 
give  up  their  tribal  condition  and  to  become  citizens, 
and  also  excepting  those  living  in  the  north,  who 
might  not  get  on  well  in  a warm  climate.  This  Terri- 
tory is  so  large,  and  it  has  a soil  and  climate  so  excel- 
lent, that  it  could  easily  support  three  times  as  nu- 
merous a population  as  all  the  Indians,  and  still  have 
fewer  inhabitants  than  are  found  in  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri, which  lies  partly  on  its  northern  boundary. 
There  are  many  and  difficult  questions  in  connection 
with  this  Territory,  which  can  not  here  be  considered. 
Its  relations  to  the  General  Government,  its  geographi- 
cal position  as  to  our  railroad  system,  its  inter-tribal 
interests,  its  questions  of  land  in  common  or  in 
severalty,  and  as  to  the  districts  to  be  assigned  to 
tribes  that  may  wish  to  live  within  its  boundaries — 
these  we  must  leave  in  abeyance.  But  we  must  not 
forget  that  a large  part  of  this  territory  is  held  by 
certain  tribes  on  the  faith  of  the  Government  ex- 
pressed in  repeated  treaties ; it  has  been  conveyed  to 
the  Indians  in  the  most  unqualified  terms  for  perpet- 
ual possession.  Every  condition  entered  into  by  our 
Government  must  be  fulfilled.  No  change  is  to  be 
thought  of,  excepting  such  as  may  be  made  with  the 
consent  of  the  Indians,  freely  given.  No  grants  of 
land  to  railroads  should  be  made  by  Congress  in  its 
bounds  any  more  than  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 
No  white  person  should  be  allowed  the  right  of  resi- 
dence, except  in  special  cases  with  the  consent  of  the 


196 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Indians.  It  has  long  been  supposed  by  many,  especially 
before  the  late  Rebellion  when  slavery  existed  in  this 
Territory,  that  eventually  an  Indian  State  could  be 
created,  and  the  districts  occupied  by  different  tribes 
would  then  become  counties.  Though  some  of  the 
Indians  would  prefer  a Confederation,  each  tribe  re- 
maining independent,  yet,  for  reasons  already  sug- 
gested, this  project  should  not  be  adopted.  But  this 
fine  Territory  must  be  kept  for  the  red  men  now 
there,  and  we  hope  it  can  become  the  abode  of  other 
tribal  Indians,  until  a state  of  things  better  for  them 
as  well  as  for  us  brings  to  pass  a change  from  special 
Territorial  to  our  common  State  condition.  As  the 
case  now  stands,  we  see  no  alternative  but  that  of 
testing  the  experiment  of  protecting  this  Indian  com- 
munity, unless  we  would  break  the  sacred  faith  of  the 
country  as  pledged  to  this  people.  We  regard  it  as  an 
experiment.  In  the  end  one  of  two  things  will  come 
to  pass — the  experiment  will  be  so  manifestly  a failure 
that  all  parties,  the  best  of  the  Indians  included,  will 
be  prepared  for  some  great  change  as  a matter  of  in- 
evitable public  necessity ; or  else,  the  experiment  will 
succeed  so  well,  that  the  then  civilized  and  Christian 
people  of  this  Territoiy  will  take  their  stand  on  the 
common  broad  basis  of  the  other  States,  and  be 
welcomed  as  equal  sharers  of  our  American  heri- 
tage  

We  may  summarize  the  essential  things  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  Indian  Affairs  as  follows:  1.  Give  the 
Indians  land  in  fee  and  in  severalty,  which  should  be 
inalienable  for  a term  of  years.  2.  Give  them  simple 


OUR  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 


19  7 


laws  and  courts  of  justice.  3.  Give  them  common 
school  education,  as  in  our  States,  in  English,  but 
under  teachers  acquainted  with  both  English  and  In- 
dian, with  the  formerly  certainly,  and  at  least  to  some 
good  extent  with  the  latter.  4.  Shape  all  measures  so 
as  to  favor  their  disbanding  the  tribal  relation  as  soon 
as  practicable,  and  then  abandon  the  plan  of  Reserva- 
tions, and  let  them  “ behave  themselves,”  and  be 
treated  as  other  citizens. 

What  more  the  Church  can  do  for  the  Indians  is 
the  main  question.  True  civilization  follows  practical 
Christianity,  and  is  never  the  fruit  of  merely  humani- 
tarian measures.  Nearly  all  that  is  good  among  such 
tribes  as  the  Senecas,  Cherokees,  Choctaws,  Creeks, 
Dakotas,  Nez  Perces,  and  others,  is  the  result  of  Prot- 
estant missionary  labor  amongst  them.  First,  let  our 
churches  discard  the  idea  that  it  is  a hopeless  work 
to  convert  this  people,  and  next  let  them  feel  assured 
that  the  fruits  of  their  conversion  will  abide.  The 
Indians  possess  a wonderful  degree  of  native  energy, 
endurance,  and  capacity  of  improvement.  They  are 
not  a people  destined  to  “die  out,”  unless  through 
the  vices  and  maltreatment  of  the  white  people ; on 
the  contrary,  where  they  come  under  Christian  influ- 
ences they  increase  in  number,  as  witness  the  Chero- 
kees, Choctaws,  Seminoles,  and  others;  and  where 
they  become  even  partially  settled,  they  do  not  de- 
crease, as  is  shown  by  the  Omahas,  Winnebagoes,  and 
Navajoes.  But  were  we  to  concede  their  short  ex- 
istence as  a race,  we  should  only  find  a stronger  plea 
for  giving  them  the  benefits  of  our  holy  religion  with- 


198 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


out  delay.  Next,  the  Christian  churches  of  this 
country  should  recognize  the  special  claims  of  this 
poor  people  upon  their  prompt  and  vigorous  benev- 
olence. By  how  many  bonds  are  we  related  to 
them — of  neighborhood,  of  almost  exclusive  access, 
of  indebtedness  for  land  once  theirs,  of  manifold  good 
for  evils  inflicted  on  them  by  our  countrymen  ; of  the 
highest  obligation  of  all,  that  of  seeking  their  eternal 
well-being.  The  happiest  results  have  already  fol- 
lowed the  missionary  efforts  of  different  churches; 
thousands  of  converts  are  enrolled  as  communicants, 
and  beautiful  have  been  many  Christian  lives,  and 
many  peaceful  deaths,  of  Indian  church  members.  . . . 


LII. 

INDIAN  BOARDING-SCHOOLS. 

We  have  received  a letter  from  a gentleman  who  is 
influentially  connected  with  the  Government  Indian 
service,  in  which  he  advocates  boarding-school  educa- 
tion as  the  only  kind  that  is  likely  to  be  useful.  His 
observation  of  day-schools  in  several  tribes  leads  him 
to  regard  them  with  little  favor,  and  he  refers  particu- 
larly to  one  tribe.  Concerning  it  we  learn  from  the 
last  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs 
that  it  is  a tribe  of  1,100  souls;  of  school  age,  200; 
average  attendance  in  two  day-schools,  76 ; amount 
expended  for  education  during  the  year,  $2,253.  Re- 


INDIAN  BOARDING-SCHOOLS. 


199 


suits,  so  our  correspondent  says,  very  unsatisfactory — 
the  schools  almost  useless.  This  he  regrets  the  more, 
because  a mission  boarding-school  formerly  conducted 
for  this  tribe  was  of  great  service.  He  recommends 
two  boarding-schools,  to  include  the  children  of  suita- 
ble age.  We  value  highly  the  boarding-school  plan, 
for  its  domestic,  social,  and  religious  influences,  but 
we  stand  in  doubt  as  to  its  being  the  only  method  of 
educating  Indian  children.  The  great  expense  is  one 
thing  to  be  considered  ; 'to  educate  in  this  way  the  200 
children  of  school  age  in  the  tribe  referred  to  would 
cost  at  least  $30,000  a year,  merely  for  current  ex- 
penses, to  say  nothing  of  buildings,  etc.,  such  as  would 
be  required.  For  the  50,000  Indian  children  of  school 
age  in  all  the  tribes,  the  expense  would  be  very  great. 
Even  if  funds  were  available,  it  would  be  difficult,  if 
not  impracticable,  to  conduct  such  schools  satisfac- 
torily on  so  large  a scale  ; while  a large  number  of  the 
children  would  receive  little  benefit  from  them.  We 
should  be  sorry  to  see  the  Government  adopt  this  plan 
of  education  as  the  only  one,  or  indeed  as  one  for  chief 
use,  especially  if  these  schools  are  to  be  conducted 
hundreds  of  milfes  distant  from  the  tribes  to  which  the 
children  belong. 

We  have  faith  in  good  common  schools.  If  Indian 
schools  of  this  class  have  proved  unsuccessful,  as  is 
certainly  true  in  too  many  cases,  the  explanation  is 
found  largely  in  the  fact  that  the  teachers  do  not 
know  the  vernacular.  The  instruction  is  in  English, 
as  it  ought  to  be,  seeing  they  are  to  become  intelli- 
gent citizens,  but  our  language  can  not  be  successfully 


200 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


taught,  nor  can  much  knowledge  be  imparted,  when  the 
scholars  do  not  know  English  nor  the  teacher  Indian. 
Fancy  an  attempt  to  teach  our  children  in  common 
schools  by  teachers  knowing  only  French  or  German  ! 

Let  boarding-schools  be  conducted  on  the  eclectic 
idea,  not  for  all  and  any  kind  of  children,  which  is  im- 
practicable, but  for  a small  and  selected  class.  Take 
only  children  or  youth  of  good  minds,  and  let  their 
training  have  special  reference  to  their  future  occupa- 
tion as  teachers.  They  would,  of  course,  speak  their 
own  language  ; with  suitable  instruction  they  would 
learn  to  speak  English ; they  would  come  under  the 
influence  of  good  habits,  civilized  ways,  and  we  trust 
religious  life  and  principle.  And  so  in  a few  years  a 
class  of  Indian  teachers  could  be  employed  with  the 
best  hope  of  success. 

The  principles  underlying  this  suggestion  are  of  uni- 
versal application.  All  efforts  to  enlighten  an  igno- 
rant people  must  be  made  chiefly  in  their  own  language. 
We  fear  that  too  much  reliance  is  placed  on  English, 
not  only  in  schools  supported  by  the  funds  of  the 
Government,  but  even  in  missionary  plans.  Certainly 
in  all  the  religious  instruction  of  ignorant  tribes  and 
nations,  the  masses  are  to  be  enlightened  by  the  few, 
speaking  in  their  own  tongue  the  wonderful  works  of 
God.  On  missionary  ground,  at  any  rate,  whatever 
maybe  expedient  in  education  supported  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, we  must  regard  schools  of  every  kind  mainly 
as  evangelizing  agencies,  and  grade  their  usefulness 
by  their  influence  in  preparing  teachers  and  preachers 
of  the  Gospel. 


THE  WORK  OF  AN  INDIAN  TEACHER.  201 


. LIII. 

THE  WORK  OF  AN  INDIAN  TEACHER. 

THERE  are  seven  reservations  for  bands  of  Chip- 
pewa Indians,  situated  generally  within  access  of  the 
western  part  of  Lake  Superior,  and  including  about 
4,600  Chippewas.  One  of  these  reservations  contains 
our  missionary  station  and  its  good  work  at  Odanah, 
Wisconsin.  Another  is  the  Lac  Courte  d’Oreille  re- 
serve, perhaps  sixty  miles  west  of  south  from  Odanah, 
in  a region  hardly  yet  visited  by  civilization.  Here 
among  1,700  Indians  an  Indian  teacher  and  his  wife 
are  stationed,  whose  education  and  Christian  experi- 
ence were  gained  at  Odanah.  Good  results  have  fol- 
lowed the  work  at  this  out-station,  as  shown  by  the 
following  letter  of  the  missionary,  dated  Odanah,  Oc- 
tober 4,  1879 : 

“ I have  just  returned  from  a ten  days’  trip  to  the 
out-station.  Found  the  teacher  and  his  wife  and  babe 
well,  and  the  school  prospering.  The  mission  work  is 
also  gaining  ground,  I think.  We  held  three  meetings 
there  which  were  well  attended  ; married  one  couple, 
and  baptized  the  babe  of  the  teacher  and  his  wife. 

“ The  people  are  very  well  pleased  with  the  school, 
and  the  children  have  made  wonderful  progress  in- 
deed. If  I should  state  what  I actually  saw  and 
heard,  my  veracity  would  be  almost  questioned  in 
some  quarters.  Children  who  never  saw  a school  be- 
fore the  3d  of  December,  1878,  are  now  reading  intel- 
ligently in  the  Second  Reader,  though  few  of  them 


202 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


have  been  to  school  a hundred  days.  We  visited  con- 
siderably, and  made  arrangements  for  more  of  the 
direct  missionary  work,  the  teacher  to  have  school 
four  days  per  week,  and  to  visit  a day  and  a half  a 
week  among  the  people,  reading,  singing,  and  praying 
in  their  wigwams.  I was  accompanied  by  Moses,  one 
of  my  students  at  present.  The  tramp  on  foot  was 
over  ioo  miles  through  the  solid  woods.  We  felt  the 
presence  of  the  Master  with  us,  and  trust  good  fruit 
will  follow.” 

This  interesting  letter  gives  at  least  one  example  of 
day-school  success.  We  shall  hope  to  see  many  more 
such  examples. 

Boarding-schools,  each  with  industrial  departments, 
are  of  perhaps  indispensable  use.  In  them  skilled 
workers  and  teachers,  of  both  sexes,  and  also  Bible- 
readers  and  preachers,  may  be  trained  for  their  own 
people.  But  as  to  day-schools,  if  we  admit  that  they 
have  often  been  unsuccessful,  it  was,  in  too  many  cases, 
because  the  teachers  were  incompetent.  Dull,  igno- 
rant, non-magnetic  teachers  will  not  succeed  anywhere, 
among  any  people.  But  given  a teacher  who  knows 
both  languages,  English  and  Indian,  and  who  is  other- 
wise well  qualified,  and  there  will  be  success.  It  may 
be  qualified  by  various  causes,  such  as  the  favor,  the 
indifference,  or  the  opposition  of  parents,  but  if  sup- 
ported by  the  influence  of  the  Government,  or  by  a 
Missionary  Board,  such  a teacher  ought  to  succeed,  in 
a good  and  increasing  degree. 

This  subject  is  one  of  practical  moment,  especially 
in  view  of  the  true  theory  that  the  General  Govern- 


BOARDING  SCHOOLS  AND  ORPHANAGES.  203 


ment  ought  to  give  good  common  school  education 
to  all  Indian  children  on  reservations  within  the  Ter- 
ritories, just  as  our  States  support  common  schools 
for  the  children  of  their  citizens.  For  such  Indian 
schools  many  teachers  are  needed. 


LIV. 

BOARDING  SCHOOLS  AND  ORPHANAGES. 

The  Christian  education  of  children  among  the 
heathen  is  a recognized  method  of  missionary  action. 
It  is  not  always  practicable  at  first,  but  sometimes 
it  precedes  labors  for  adults.  Schools  of  various 
kinds  are  supported,  and  boarding  and  orphan  schools 
are  regarded  by  many  with  special  favor.  As  a means 
of  personal  benefit  to  the  scholars,  they  possess  the 
obvious  advantages  of  careful  instruction,  systematic 
training,  good  home  influences  and  examples.  They 
seem  to  be  chiefly  useful  among  people  little  civil- 
ized, like  our  Indian  tribes,  especially  when  out-door 
or  in-door  work  forms  a part  of  the  daily  require- 
ments. These  Indian  boarding-schools,  properly  con- 
ducted, do  not  seem  to  hinder  their  scholars,  when 
they  leave  school,  from  readily  living  with  their  own 
people  again. 

In  countries  where  society  is  well  established,  where 
conventional  usages  are  in  full  force  and  binding  to  a 
degree  almost  unknown  to  us,  where  also  it  is  very 


204 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


difficult  to  find  occupation  outside  of  the  usual  circum- 
stances, the  case  of  boarding  and  orphan  schools  is 
different  in  some  respects.  The  pupils  are  in  danger 
of  becoming  hot-house  plants,  ill  adapted  to  out-door 
life,  trained  away  from  their  own  people,  in  a degree 
that  unfits  them  to  make  a living  for  themselves. 
This  result  it  is  endeavored  to  counteract  by  their 
retaining  their  native  dress  and  the  native  way  of 
living  ; but  constant  effort  is  needed  to  prevent  their 
becoming  virtually  foreigners  in  their  habits  and 
tastes,  and  to  keep  them  from  being  regarded  with 
distrust  by  their  own  people.  These  difficulties  are 
usually  less  in  the  case  of  boarding-scholars  than  of 
orphans.  The  connection  of  the  former  with  their 
own  families  is  not  cut  off,  sympathetic  intercourse 
with  them  is  maintained,  the  instruction  of  the  school- 
room becomes  Gospel  leaven  in  many  a household, 
business  occupations  and  marriage  relations  outside 
of  the  school  do  not  become  impracticable  ; as  to 
the  latter,  however,  some  of  the  missionaries  in  China 
wisely  secure  the  control  of  the  betrothment  of  both 
boys  and  girls,  so  as  to  keep  the  Christian  nurture  of 
their  scholars  from  injury  in  their  after-domestic  life. 
In  this  densely-inhabited  country  boarding-schools, 
such  as  have  long  been  conducted  at  Ningpo,  have 
yielded  gratifying  results ; many  of  the  native  minis- 
ters and  their  wives  were  trained  in  these  schools, 
without  being  much  separated  from  native  society. 

Orphanages  have  their  own  features  of  interest 
and  their  peculiar  drawbacks.  Their  advantages 
are  obvious,  the  disadvantages  may  not  first  be 


BOARDING  SCHOOLS  AND  ORPHANAGES.  205 


apparent.  Their  inmates  are  in  danger  of  being 
completely  separated  from  their  own  people.  When 
they  reach  the  age  of  self-support  and  of  settle- 
ment in  life,  their  situation  is  likely  to  be  one  of 
great  difficulty,  especially  in  the  case  of  girls.  All 
Orphan  children  are  too  likely  to  become  permanently 
dependent  on  their  missionary  friends  for  a home 
and  for  support.  Some  of  them,  it  is  always  hoped, 
will  become  qualified  by  grace  and  gifts  for  useful- 
ness in  missionary  service ; others  may  not  be  fitted 
for  this  spiritual  work,  and  what  is  to  become  of 
them? 

There  is,  moreover,  to  the  missionaries  in  charge 
of  orphanages  a burden  of  incessant,  unrelieved, 
almost  unrelievable  care,  which  is  very  wearing  ; in- 
deed, few  persons  can  long  endure  it,  while  yet  its 
strain  must  be  kept  up  for  an  indefinite  period.  It 
is  not  commonly  the  older  missionaries  in  India  or 
China,  as  we  apprehend,  who  most  favor  orphan 
schools  ; but  to  the  less  experienced,  we  do  not  won- 
der that  they  seem  to  be  quite  attractive.  Of  course, 
we  all  cansunderstand  the  humanitarian  aspect  of  these 
schools,  and  it  is  easy  to  see  why  Romanist  mission- 
aries and  nuns  are  eager  to  take  the  charge  of  orphan 
children  ; but  in  our  plans,  we  must  keep  in  mind 
chiefly  spiritual  results,  and  these  as  adapted  to  the 
self-perpetuation  of  religion  in  different  countries  by 
their  own  people.  Whatever  tends  to  the  purpose 
of  evangelization  is  to  be  welcomed  ; whatever  de- 
lays or  hinders  this  purpose  is  to  be  used  sparingly  if 
at  all.  Often  much  light  is  thrown  upon  these  ques- 


206 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


tions  by  the  orderings  of  Providence,  which  widely 
differ  in  different  missions  ; but  in  all  cases,  boarding 
and  orphan  schools  need  careful  and  patient  study 
before  they  are  undertaken. 


LV. 

NATIVE  MINISTERS. 

The  importance  of  a native  ministry  has  long  been 
recognized  by  the  friends  of.  missions  ; it  is  no  recent 
idea,  as  some  think.  In  the  Annual  Reports  of  the 
Board  it  has  been  frequently  brought  forward.  One 
of  the  first  missionaries  sent  out,  referring  to  “ train- 
ing up  ”....“  a race  of  native  preachers,”  wrote 
from  Calcutta,  April  21,  1834:  “It  must  indeed  be 
manifest  that  the  Church  can  not  send  forth  a suffi- 
cient number  of  missionaries  to  educate  the  native 
population The  best  plan  is  to  train  up  na- 

tive preachers,  by  sending  forth  a sufficient  number 
of  missionaries  to  conduct  the  system  by  which  they 
are  to  be  prepared.”  This  opinion  has  gained 
strength  from  a careful  watching  of  the  missionary 
world  and  work  since  this  was  written. 

Under  this  general  view,  particular  questions  arise, 
which  often  require  careful  judgment  and  a wise 
adaptation  to  the  varying  circumstances  of  different 
tribes  and  nations.  Should  this  “ training  up  ” be 
in  the  mission -field,  or  should  native  candidates 


NATIVE  MINISTERS.  20 7 

for  the  ministry  be  sent  to  Christian  countries  for 
their  higher  education  ? Should  it  be  in  the  ver- 
nacular language,  or  in  English,  or  in  both?  To 
what  extent  should  their  education  be  carried,  pre- 
vious to  their  being  ordained  ? Should  it  be  in 
classes  or  schools  under  missionary  teachers,  or  by 
separate  instruction  of  the  missionary  at  the  station 
where  the  candidate  lives  ? Should  it  be  under  “ mis- 
sion ” direction,  or  that  of  the  Presbytery  ? Should 
such  native  ministers  be  left  in  Presbyteries  of  their 
own,  or  associated  with  the  missionaries  in  the  same 
Presbyteries  ? These  and  other  questions  are  evi- 
dently of  practical  importance,  and  they  require 
ability,  education,  careful  study,  and  especially  wis- 
dom from  on  high,  for  their  satisfactory  solution.  It 
is  but  too  easy  to  make  mistakes  in  regard  to  some 
of  these  questions.  The  missionaries  themselves  feel 
their  need  of  divine  guidance  in  these  matters,  and 
they  should  be  aided  by  the  prayers  of  the  churches. 
No  part  of  the  missionary  work  stands  more  in  need 
of  prayer. 

No  discussion  of  these  questions  is  at  all  intended 
in  this  brief  article,  yet  two  or  three  hints  may  be 
offered  on  certain  points.  1.  The  plan  which  our 
blessed  Lord  pursued  in  training  the  Apostles  for 
their  work  seems  well  to  suit  missions  to  small  tribes, 
and  the  earlier  if  not  also  the  later  stages  of  mission- 
ary work  in  most  countries.  Select  a convert  of 
good  piety  and  capacity ; bring  him  into  close 
personal  relations  with  the  missionary — the  more 
intimate  and  personal  the  better,  if  the  mission- 


208 


MIS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


ary  is  himself  a man  of  deep  piety, — and  let  this 
intimacy  be  so  ordered  as  not  to  render  him  dis- 
contented with  his  native  manner  of  life,  though 
he  may  and  will  improve  it,  and  also  let  it  be 
so  ordered  as  not  to  lead  him  to  form  expensive 
habits,  making  it  difficult  for  the  native  church  to 
support  him  as  a pastor  ; place  him  under  Presbyterial 
supervision  when  practicable  ; go  on  with  his  training 
day  by  day,  with  a steady  purpose,  a carefully-con- 
sidered plan,  using  the  circumstances  of  every-day 
life  among  heathen  people  as  offering  lessons,  but 
relying  chiefly  on  the  inspired  Word  carefully  and 
prayerfully  studied  by  both  pupil  and  teacher,  and 
exemplified  by  the  teacher  in  tender  sympathy  with 
his  scholar  ; keep  him  employed  more  or  less  in  mis- 
sionary work  during  all  his  course  of  preparation  ; 
and  so  by  God’s  blessing  train  him  up  for  usefulness. 
In  the  meantime,  and  all  the  time,  keep  him  in  sym- 
pathy and  full  acquaintance  with  his  native  Christian 
brethren,  and  upon  their  call  and  offer  of  support, 
according  to  their  ability,  let  him  be  ordained  as 
their  pastor. 

2.  The  foreign  missionaries  begin  the  work  in  any 
given  field,  but  let  their  aim  be  from  the  beginning 
to  secure  its  expansion  by  native  laborers, — for  many 
reasons. 

3.  Let  both  foreign  and  native  ministers  meet  to- 
gether in  the  same  Presbytery — as  not  only  in  ac- 
cordance with  our  church  views,  but  as  supplement- 
ing each  other’s  deficiencies,  fostering  mutual  sym- 
pathy, guarding  well  if  not  best  against  alienation  or 


CANDIDATES  FOR  THE  MINISTRY.  - 


209 


diversity  of  views,  etc. ; and  let  this  plan  be  pursued 
provisionally.  When  the  native  church  of  any  coun- 
try can  stand  alone,  not  needing  foreign  help,  then  of 
course  it  will  set  up  for  itself ; and  may  this  day  soon 
come  ! 

' It  may  be  added,  by  way  of  encouragement,  that 
whereas  in  1834  there  were  but  very  few  native  min- 
isters,— in  some  countries  none,  in  others  here  and 
there  one, — in  1874  there  are  hundreds,  besides  hun- 
dreds more  of  candidates  under  training. 


LVI. 

SHOULD  CANDIDATES  FOR  THE  MINISTRY  BE 
BROUGHT  FROM  OUR  FOREIGN  MISSIONS  TO 
THIS  COUNTRY  FOR  THEIR  EDUCATION  ? 

The  case  of  foreign  young  men — from  Africa, 
India,  China,  etc.,  who  are  sent  to  this  country  for 
education,  with  a view  to  their  returning  as  mission- 
aries to  their  own  people,  differs  in  some  respects 
from  that  of  the  young  men  usually  aided  by  the 
funds  of  the  Board  of  Education  in  this  country. 
They  have  seldom  enjoyed  the  training  of  intelligent 
Christian  families,  nor  have  they  had  in  all  early  years 
the  advantages  of  good  schools ; and  usually  they 
possess  little  general  knowledge,  except  what  is  im- 
plied in  their  acquaintance  with  English,  which  is 
often  imperfect.  They  are  not  expecting,  commonly, 


210 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


to  pursue  an  eight  years’  course  of  college  and  semi- 
nary study.  The  practical  issue,  therefore,  of  taking 
such  young  men  on  the  Home  funds  of  the  Church, 
apart  from  the  needless  complication  of  its  agencies, 
would  seem  to  be  their  education  on  a lower  standard 
than  the  Board  or  the  Church  maintains  for  its  min- 
istry in  our  country. 

But  they  expect  in  most  cases  to  return  to  their 
own  land  ; is  it  then  expedient  to  encourage  them  to 
seek  such  preparation  for  the  ministry  here  rather 
than  in  their  own  country  ? As  a general  rule  the 
home  education  of  our  ministers,  as  indeed  of  all 
professional  men,  is  greatly  superior  to  what  they 
could  acquire  abroad,  for  all  the  practical  purposes  of 
life.  The  case  of  these  foreign  young  men  forms  no 
exception  to  this  rule.  While  they  may  here  enjoy 
educational  advantages  superior  to  what  are  within 
their  reach  in  their  native  land,  yet  we  must  keep  it 
in  mind  that  the  advantages  of  our  schools  can  be  en- 
joyed by  them  only  under  circumstances  of  serious 
difficulty,  both  in  this  country  and  in  their  own. 
Their  previous  training  does  not  enable  them  to  make 
the  best  use  of  these  advantages.  The  temptations 
of  life  here  are  great,  in  their  inexperience.  They  are 
likely  to  form  erroneous  views  of  social  life,  to  ac- 
quire habits  of  expense  much  beyond  what  they  have 
been  accustomed  to,  and  to  become  neither  Ameri- 
cans nor  natives ; in  a word,  to  be  denationalized. 
They  will  almost  certainly  become  disqualified  for 
contented,  humble  work  in  their  native  land  ; and, 
what  is  even  more  serious,  they  will  not  be  likely 


/ 


CANDIDATES  FOR  THE  MINISTRY. 


21  I 


ever  to  be  supported  as  pastors  of  native  churches,  so 
that  their  foreign  education  will  be  a great  hinder- 
ance  to  the  self-support  of  these  churches.  This  is 
indeed  a serious  result,  and  one  in  most  cases  inevi- 
table. It  is  to  be  feared,  moreover,  that  they  will 
return  to  their  own  countiy  more  than  ever  in  danger 
of  turning  aside  from  the  ministry  and  entering  into 
secular  employment.  Or  if  they  should  enter  the 
ministry,  and  receive  the  salaries  allowed  to  foreign 
laborers,  or  the  equivalent,  there  is  the  further  danger 
of  their  looking  down  upon  their  ministerial  brethren 
who  are  getting  less  support.  Examples  of  this,  un- 
happily, begin  already  to  appear. 

This  is  not  a pleasant  conclusion  to  reach,  but  un- 
happily experience  has  shown  that  these  are  not 
.imaginary  evils.  Many  cases  might  be  cited  adverse 
to  the  foreign  education  of  these  young  men ; hardly 
any  in  favor  of  it.  The  views  of  our  foreign  mis- 
sionaries, generally,  sustain  these  remarks,  at  least  so 
we  understand  : and  similar  views  are  taken  by  other 
foreign  missionary  boards,  if  we  are  not  misinformed. 

On  the  other  hand,  native  candidates  for  the  min- 
istry can  in  most  cases,  in  our  day,  obtain  valuable 
advantages  of  education  in  their  own  country  and  in 
their  native  language.  This  is  one  of  the  benefits  of 
Christian  missions ; indeed  the  training  of  a native 
ministry  forms  a large  part  of  the  commissioned  work 
of  our  Foreign  Board,  so  far  as  providing  for  its  sup- 
port is  concerned.  The  natural  gifts  of  converted 
young  men  who  seem  to  be  called  to  the  ministry, 
abroad  as  well  as  here,  coupled  with  good  opportuni- 


212 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


ties  of  Christian  instruction,  and  especially  under  the 
teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  will  qualify  them  for 
eminent  usefulness.  In  proof  of  this,  reference  may 
be  made  to  many,  if  not  all,  of  the  230  native  min- 
isters and  licentiate  preachers  connected  with  the  for- 
eign missions  of  our  Church.  Whatever  education 
they  possess  was  acquired  in  their  own  country. 

In  the  case  of  foreign  young  men,  chiefly  Chinese, 
who  have  come  to  this  country  for  worldly  gain,  and 
have  here  been  found  by  their  Saviour,  and  led  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  desire  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  their 
own  people,  the  sympathies  of  our  churches  are 
specially  awakened.  Our  Chinese  mission  on  the 
Pacific  coast  has  from  the  beginning  cherished  the 
hope  that  many  of  the  Chinese  who  come  to  this 
country  would  return  to  China  as  active  Christian* 
laborers.  Whatever  educational  advantages  any  of 
them  might  here  acquire,  they  would  still  need  to 
pursue  careful  study  in  China  itself  before  they  are 
prepared  for  the  ministry.  Some  of  these  Christian 
young  Chinamen  may  find  their  field  of  labor  among 
their  countrymen  visiting  or  residing  in  our  States; 
even  in  their  case  it  would  be  important  to  them  to 
spend  several  years  in  China  ; a knowledge  of  Chinese 
classical  books,  and  of  the  modes  of  thought  of  the 
Chinese,  would  be  of  indispensable  use  to  them.  But 
most  of  these  Chinese  converted  young  men  may  be 
expected  to  return  to  their  native  country,  and  if  the 
views  presented  in  this  paper  are  correct,  it  is  desir- 
able that  they  should  return  at  an  early  stage  of  their 
Christian  course. 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  213 


By  denationalizing , referred  to  above,  no  strict  or 
legal  idea  is  intended,  but  yet  it  may  apply  to  many 
things  which  render  nations  distinct  from  each  other, 
and  in  which  foreign  changes  will  be  injurious  rather 
than  beneficial,  relating  to  social  intercourse,  table, 
dress,  houses,  etc.  Christianity  and  education  will 
greatly  improve  some  of  these  things  without  essen- 
tially changing  their  character.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
no  degree  of  missionary  influence  will  make  Hindus 
Englishmen  or  Americans,  in  some  of  these  respects, 
any  more  than  the  preaching  of  the  Apostles  made 
Greeks  and  Romans  Jews,  in  similar  points.  For  one 
thing,  the  expense  of  a family  for  living  in  our  coun- 
try, with  our  ideas  and  ways,  would  comfortably  sup- 
port several  families  of  the  same  class  in  India.  This 
has  a material  bearing  on  the  question  as  to  the  train- 
ing of  native  ministers,  and  especially  as  to  the  sup- 
port of  these  ministers  by  the  native  churches  in  that 
country.  We  fear  that  such  support  is  seldom  given 
there.  Is  this  owing  in  part  to  the  Anglo-Indian  as- 
pects of  the  case  ? 


LVIJ. 

ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS. 

The  policy  of  a Missionary  Board  must  have  re- 
spect, as  its  main  idea,  to  the  object  for  which  it  was 
appointed  by  the  General  Assembly.  This  is  to  assist 
in  giving  the  Gospel  to  several  hundred  millions  of 


214 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


our  fellow-men,  who  are  sitting  in  darkness  and  the 
shadow  of  death — these  vast  multitudes  living  in  dif- 
ferent countries  and  climates,  and  speaking  different 
languages.  The  practical  plans  of  the  Board,  there- 
fore, should  have  respect  on  the  one  hand  to  the 
greatness  of  the  work  to  be  done ; and  on  the  other, 
to  the  ability  of  our  churches  to  engage  in  that  work. 
Both  should  be  wisely  considered.  The  former  is 
great  beyond  finite  comprehension  ; the  latter  is  yet 
in  a great  degree  an  undeveloped  power.  Some  prog- 
ress has  been  made  in  calling  into  action  the  re- 
sources of  the  churches ; witness  the  number  of  mis- 
sionaries sent  forth,  and  also  the  advance  in  the 
pecuniary  offerings  made  to  the  cause  of  missions. 
But  much  remains  to  be  done.  It  is  therefore  wise 
that  the  executive  arrangements  of  the  Board  should 
be  so  constructed,  as  to  aid  in  leading  our  Christian 
people  to  abound  more  in  the  riches  of  their  liberality 
towards  the  work  of  missions.  Our  main  reliance  for 
this  must,  of  course,  rest  upon  the  ministers,  sessions, 
and  other  church  courts ; but  much  service  may  be 
rendered  by  the  publications  of  the  press.  Hence, 
the  importance  of  Annual  Reports  carefully  prepared, 
of  the  monthly  periodicals — newspapers  for  children 
especially,  occasional  circular  letters  and  papers,  ar- 
ticles for  the  weekly  newspaper,  etc. 

We  will  suppose  that  the  pecuniary  means  are  now 
furnished ; and  the  missions  are  to  be  established. 
One  of  the  first  things  to  be  done  is  to  decide  on  the 
fields  of  missionary  labor.  This  may  be  easily  done 
in  some  cases ; in  others,  many  and  varied  considera- 


ADMINIS  TRA  TI VE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  2 1 5 


tions  must  be  taken  into  view ; and  in  all,  definite  and 
practical  information  must  be  sought  concerning  nu- 
merous topics.  The  doors  open  in  different  parts  of 
the  great  field,  and  the  reasons  for  entering  one  rather 
than  another;  the  best  stations  to  be  occupied,  and 
the  means  of  reaching  them  ; the  houses  for  the  fam- 
ilies of  missionaries,  and  also  for  chapels  and  schools ; 
the  way  of  remitting  funds,  and  maintaining  corre- 
spondence between  the  laborers  abroad  and  their 
friends  and  the  churches  at  home — matters  like  these 
may  require  more  or  less  attention,  but  in  any  case 
they  must  be  well  understood.  No  part  of  the  work 
entrusted  to  a Missionary  Committee  is  more  full  of 
responsibility  than  that  of  deciding  to  establish  a 
mission  among  a heathen  people,  unless  it  is  the  pain- 
ful duty  of  sanctioning  the  abandonment  of  such  a 
mission.  These  things  demand  patient  and  careful 
consideration  by  the  executive  officers  of  a missionary 
institution. 

Next  to  this,  and  hardly  less  important,  is  the  send- 
ing forth  of  missionary  laborers;  wise  judgment  is 
needed  to  send  forth  those  only  who  are  called  to  the 
missionary  work  by  the  Head  of  the  Church.  The 
special  action  of  Presbytery  is  invoked  here.  With- 
out its  recommendation  no  ordained  minister  will  be 
sent  as  a missionary.  But  there  are  considerations  of 
moment,  which  cannot  well  be  the  subject  of  Presby- 
terial  review ; or  if  they  could,  which  might  better  be 
considered  in  a more  informal  way.  As  in  judging 
of  one’s  call  to  the  ministry,  so  here  the  mind  of  an 
inquirer  as  to  duty  may  be  aided  by  information  and 


2l6 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


counsel  obtained  in  various  ways  without  the  official 
action  of  Presbytery.  He  may  properly  apply  to  the 
executive  officers  of  the  Missionary  Board  for  light 
on  various  questions ; and  its  executive  arrangements 
should  embrace  all  needful  information  and  experience 
to  aid  in  the  decision  of  these  questions.  By  this 
means  the  Church  may  guard  against  the  mistake  of 
sending  forth  those  whose  want  of  constitutional 
strength  or  of  sufficient  health,  or  whose  mental  or 
moral  traits  would  prevent  their  being  useful  as  mis- 
sionaries ; and  also  the  mistake  of  sending  good  men 
to  one  field  of  labor  for  which  they  are  not  suited, 
rather  than  to  another  where  they  would  be  very  use- 
ful. It  would  be  easy  to  expend  hundreds  and  even 
thousands  of  dollars  in  vain  on  a single  family,  sent 
by  mistake  to  a distant  field  of  labor  where  health 
would  not  be  enjoyed,  or  to  a service  above  the  men- 
tal strength  or  furniture  of  the  sincere  though  misdi- 
rected laborer.  Cases  not  a few  have  occurred  in 
which  the  information  and  experience  of  the  execu- 
tive officers  have  prevented  great  loss  and  disappoint- 
ment in  this  respect.  In  connection  with  this,  the 
visits  of  secretaries  to  our  theological  seminaries  to 
confer  with  candidates  for  missionary  service  may  be 
mentioned,  and  also  a considerable  correspondence 
with  the  same  class  of  persons,  and  with  others  con- 
cerning them — a correspondence  often  calling  for 
much  thought,  and  sometimes  requiring  much  time 
and  labor. 

The  missionaries  are  at  length  sent  forth.  We  still 
restrict  our  remarks  to  the  dry  but  yet  important 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  21 7 


matter  of  executive  or  business  arrangements  ; and  we 
now  consider,  not  the  collecting,  but  the  expending  of 
missionary  funds  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work.  U nder 
the,  head  of  current  expenses,  we  refer  to  expendi- 
tures for  outfit,  voyage,  inland  journey,  houses,  sala- 
ries, the  various  kinds  of  labor, — in  the  pulpit  or  on 
missionary  tours,  in  the  school-room  or  by  the  print- 
ing press,  the  support  of  native  helpers,  the  oversight 
of  plans  for  the  home  education  of  the  children  of 
missionaries,  and  other  matters.  The  funds  needed 
for  these  various  purposes  are  the  gifts  of  the  churches. 
These  are  widely  dispersed  over  the  country,  and 
their  gifts  are  often  necessarily  small  in  amount  ; but 
in  all  cases  the  donors  may  reasonably  require  that 
their  gifts  should  be  expended  with  fidelity  and  to  the 
best  advantage — having  respect  to  economy  of  man- 
agement, a wise  apportionment  among  different  mis- 
sions, safety  of  transmission  to  distant  countries,  and 
an  intelligent,  considerate,  and  kindly  watch  over  the 
manner  in  which  they  are  expended  in  each  mission 
field.  Habits  of  business,  sound  judgment,  acquaint- 
ance with  men,  and  other  traits  are  indispensable  for 
this  kind  of  duty — the  same  qualifications  which  se- 
cure large  salaries  in  business  relations  ; a knowledge 
of  foreign  exchange,  moreover,  and  of  many  things 
pertaining  to  mercantile  intercourse  with  remote  parts 
of  the  world  ; and  also  a particular  attention  to  the 
estimates  and  expenditures  of  the  missions,  as  these 
are  affected  by  many  causes  in  different  countries. 
These  business  matters  are  of  no  ordinary  importance. 
Some  of  them  belong  to  the  treasurer’s  office,  and  his 


10 


2 1 8. 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


post  is  no  sinecure,  but  is  one  of  the  most  important 
in  the  church  ; but  most  of  them  are  matters  to  which 
all  the  executive  officers  must  give  more  or  less  at- 
tention. Each  dollar  of  the  Board’s  income  should 
be  traced  from  the  donor’s  hand,  through  all  its 
course,  till  it  falls  as  good  seed  in  the  soil  of  some 
heathen  land  ; while  proper  vouchers  should  be  given 
for  all  its  changes,  as  it  is  expended  on  the  way. 

The  missionaries  are  in  distant  countries ; commu- 
nication must  be  kept  up  with  them.  The  Mission 
House  must  have  almost  a post-office  department  in 
it.  Arrangements  must  not  be  neglected,  moreover, 
in  a number  of  cases,  for  the  transmission  of  articles 
of  personal  'convenience  and  necessity.  In  some  of 
the  missions,  especially  in  Africa,  a considerable  por- 
tion of  the  “ supplies  ” required  in  extensive  house- 
holds are  purchased  in  this  country — to  the  extent  of 
several  thousands  of  dollars  yearly,  such  as  clothing, 
certain  kinds  of  provision  for  the  table,  etc.  In  some 
of  the  Indian  boarding-schools,  the  accounts  and 
vouchers  for  this  expenditure  are  made  out,  not  only 
for  the  treasury  of  the  Board,  but  for  the  U.  S.  Gov- 
ernment. These  things  require  much  attention  ; and 
it  is  only  the  saving  of  expense,  and  the  satisfactory 
fulfilment  of  orders  and  commissions  that  are  often  out 
of  the  usual  line  of  business,  which  justify  the  execu- 
tive officers  in  taking  the  supervision  of  such  matters. 

The  missionaries  are  but  men  — good  men,  the 
equals  of  their  brethren  in  the  ministry  at  home,  but 
like  them  liable  to  commit  mistakes,  or  likely  not 
always  to  agree  in  their  views  of  questions  of  duty ; 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  219 


and  it  becomes  expedient  to  have  a directing  body  to 
whom  a certain  degree  of  general  supervision  of  the 
missionary  work  may  be  confided.  This  supervision 
does  not  extend  to  ecclesiastical  matters  as  such ; 
these  belong  to  our  admirable  system  of  church 
Courts.  Neither  does  it  take  any  parts  of  the  mission- 
ary work  proper  out  of  the  hands  of  the  missionaries, 
it  being  always  wise  to  leave  the  work  on  the  ground 
as  far  as  practicable  to  their  judgment  and  fidelity. 
But  it  relates  to  all  questions  involving  the  best  use 
of  the  funds  devoted  by  the  churches  to  the  mission- 
ary cause  ; while  to  guard  against  irresponsible  power 
or  abuse  of  trust,  missionaries,  executive  officers, 
Board  and  all,  are  men  under  law  amenable  to  the 
Church  through  its  General  Assembly. 

We  have  thus  briefly  sketched  a number  of  things 
which  are  included  in  the  administration  of  our  work 
of  missions.  In  carrying  forward  this  work  there 
ought  to  be  a due  reference  to  all  of  these  particulars. 
Accordingly,  the  executive  officers  employed  by  the 
Board  should  be  sufficient  in  number,  in  character, 
and  in  qualifications,  to  do  justice  in  some  good  de- 
gree to  the  important  interests  which  are  placed  in 
their  hands.  It  would  be  poor  economy  to  restrict 
the  number  of  these  officers,  if  thereby  the  work 
to  be  done  could  not  be  performed  in  the  best  way. 
The  case  of  the  Board  in  this  respect  is  like  that  of 
any  large  business  concern ; a mercantile  house  or  a 
railway  company  would  not  hesitate  to  employ  a suf- 
ficient staff  of  qualified  agents  for  the  thorough  exe- 
cution of  its  business. 


220 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


The  due  consideration  of  the  several  parts  of  their 
work  requires  of  the  secretaries,  that  each  should  be 
completely  acquainted  with  all  that  concerns  the  mis- 
sionary fields  with  whose  laborers  he  is  in  correspond- 
ence. This  correspondence,  in  general,  may  be  de- 
scribed as  relating  to  subjects  each  having  its  own 
claims  to  consideration,  and  seldom  to  matters  of 
routine.  Presenting  subjects  sometimes  new,  often 
difficult  to  be  rightly  understood,  sometimes  ex- 
tremely perplexing,  and  commonly  important,  this 
correspondence  often  tasks  all  the  wisdom,  knowledge, 
and  experience  that  can  be  brought  to  its  service ; 
and  many  times  will  the  inquiry  be  suggested,  who  is 
sufficient  for  these  things? 

An  important  part  of  the  office  work  is  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  Annual  Report  and  the  editing  of  the 
mission  publications — work  which  from  its  nature  is 
best  performed  by  persons  in  the  correspondence  of 
the  Board,  rather  than  by  outside  editors. 

Reverting  to  the  idea  for  which  this  account  of  the 
division  of  labor  in  the  Mission  House  was  introduced, 
it  will  be  easily  perceived  that  a thorough  acquaint- 
ance with  each  mission  field,  and  with  the  general 
state  of  the  mission,  is  indispensable  to  the  proper 
fulfilment  of  a secretary’s  duties.  He  must  possess 
very  much  the  same  intimate  knowledge  of  the  affairs 
of  the  mission,  which  he  would  need  were  he  himself 
one  of  its  members.  In  this  way  he  can  appreciate 
the  views  of  his  brethren  on  subjects  brought  before 
the  Executive  Committee  ; and  in  the  various  ques- 
tions sent  home  for  the  action  of  the  Committee,  he 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  221 


is  prepared  to  state  the  case,  as  it  may  seem  to  require 
decision  or  modification.  In  this  he  ought  to  have 
reference  to  varied  considerations,  some  of  which 
may  not  be  known  by  the  missionaries,  while  others 
properly  belong  to  the  province  of  the  Committee. 
He  may  err,  by  excess  or  by  defect,  in  judgment  or 
in  other  things,  and  may  need  the  indulgence  or  the 
forgiveness  of  his  brethren,  but  he  ought  not  to  err 
through  ignorance.  And  yet  how  great  is  the  num- 
ber and  the  variety  of  subjects  that  concern  the  wel- 
fare of  any  Christian  mission  ! 

The  Corisco  mission,  for  example,  was  in  trouble 
some  years  ago,  through  the  claims  of  Spanish  juris- 
diction and  Romanist  intolerance.  The  missionaries 
asked  counsel  and  direction — should  they  try  to 
weather  the  storm  at  their  posts,  or  should  they  seek 
a new  field  of  labor  ? What  should  be  done  for  their 
churches  and  schools  ? What  could  be  done  to  pro- 
tect the  valuable  property  of  the  mission,  and  to  de- 
fend the  rights  of  our  missionaries  as  American  cit- 
izens ? What  ought  to  be  done  to  arouse  public 
attention  in  the  country  to  the  exorbitant  pretensions 
that,  if  unresisted,  would  fetter  rising  commerce,  and 
foster  the  revival  of  the  old  accursed  slave  trade  ? 
But  if  the  brethren  must  leave  their  homes  in  Corisco, 
where  should  they  go  — to  Yoruba,  or  to  some  place 
on  the  coast,  north  or  south  ? Here  was  an  example 
of  questions  that  were  laid  before  the  Committee  ; 
and  in  the  answers  to  be  given,  who  can  say  how 
much  knowledge  of  African  matters  generally,  of 
American  political  law,  and  even  of  vexed  questions  in 


222 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Spain  itself,  should  be  possessed  by  a secretary?  If 
the  Queen  were  likely  to  remain  long  in  power,  pur- 
chasing the  silence  of  the  Romanist  clergy  for  her  way 
of  life  by  granting  their  demands  of  political  power, 
as  against  the  Presbyterian  missionaries  in  Corisco 
for  one  example,  then  the  measures  to  be  adopted  by 
the  Committee  and  the  missionaries  might  take  one 
direction ; if  her  reign  were  soon  to  end,  then  a 
widely  different  line  of  policy  might  be  advisable. 
And  hardly  is  there  a mission  of  the  Church  that  has 
not  at  times  sent  up  its  difficult  questions  for  the 
earnest  study  of  the  executive  officers  and  the  coun- 
sel or  decision  of  the  Board. 

Besides  a minute  and  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
missions  included  in  his  share  of  the  correspondence, 
each  secretary  should  have  at  least  a good  general 
acquaintance  with  the  condition  of  all  the  missions. 
Many  questions  referred  to  the  Board  from  a particu- 
lar mission  have  relative  bearings  in  respect  to  other 
missions.  An  application  for  funds  to  erect  a chapel 
at  Shanghai,  for  example,  or  to  employ  a teacher  of 
high  grade  at  Lodiana,  makes  it  necessary  to  consider 
the  circumstances  of  other  fields  of  labor  ; otherwise, 
while  trying  to  do  good  in  China  or  India,  embar- 
rassment may  be  created  to  the  missionary  work  in 
Africa  or  Siam.  A question  may  be  submitted  to 
the  Committee  from  some  home  correspondent  ; it 
may  be  the  request  of  a student  in  one  of  our  theo- 
logical seminaries  to  be  appointed  as  a missionary  to 
a specified  field  of  labor,  or  expressing  his  willingness 
to  go  to  any  field  ; in  either  case  the  secretaries  must 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  223 


confer  with  each  other,  and  give  to  the  Board  the 
benefit  of  their  particular  acquaintance  with  the  mis- 
sions and  with  the  applicant.  It  is  not  to  be  expected 
that  the  members  should  possess  the  information  in 
detail,  or  in  its  relation  to  different  missions,  which 
yet  is  needful  to  the  proper  consideration  of  a case 
like  this  — one  of  the  most  common,  and  one  which 
involves  the  usefulness  and  happiness  of  a beloved 
son  and  daughter  of  the  Church,  and  the  expenditure 
of  a considerable  amount  of  the  missionary  offerings 
of  its  members. 

This  is  but  an  imperfect  statement  of  particulars, 
but  it  may  serve  to  convey  at  least  a general  impres- 
sion of  the  subject.  And  after  all  the  care  that  can 
be  taken,  it  is  likely  enough  that  mistakes  will  some- 
times be  made,  of  one  kind  or  another ; but  there 
will  remain  the  satisfaction  of  being  able  to  believe 
that  the  best  consideration  of  an  able  Committee  has 
been  given  to  each  question  of  duty,  with  the  aid  of 
men  whose  time  and  service  are  specially  given  to 
the  handling  of  such  matters,  and  who  are  themselves 
members  of  the  Committee,  rightfully  sharing  in  all 
its  responsibility.  Mistakes  may  occur,  indeed,  but 
they  will  be  comparatively  few ; and  the  good  will 
greatly  outweigh  the  evil. 

This  statement,  somewhat  in  detail,  of  the  general 
method  in  which  our  foreign  missions  are  superin- 
tended, will  serve  as  a sufficient  answer  to  any  objec- 
tions or  doubts  concerning  the  expense  of  executive 
management,  so  far  at  least  as  the  method  itself  is 
approved.  According  to  this  method,  the  work  will 


224 


M I S SION  A R V PAPERS. 


be  well  done,  if  the  officers  are  competent  and  faith- 
ful ; and  the  cost,  viewed  with1  reference  to  the  pres- 
ent missionary  operations  or  to  the  future  growth  of 
missionary  interest  among  our  churches,  is  certainly 
moderate.  It  is  much  less  than  the  cost  of  con- 
ducting most  kinds  of  mercantile  business,  involving 
anything  like  the  same  amount  and  variety  of  par- 
ticulars. 

This  line  of  administration  may  have  some  draw- 
backs and  some  dangers.  It  may  seem  to  fetter  the 
free  action  of  the  missionaries  ; or  to  place  too  much 
power  in  the  hands  of  a secretary ; or  to  invest  in  the 
Board  a degree  of  supervision  which  the  Church 
should  reserve  for  its  regular  courts.  In  reply  to 
the  last  it  should  be  observed,  that  the  Church  has 
chosen  to  act  through  this  Committee,  which  is  but 
its  own  organ  for  certain  business  purposes,  and  in  no 
sense  the  rival  of  any  of  its  ecclesiastical  tribunals. 
It  may  be  directed,  modified,  or  abolished  by  the 
Church  at  any  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly. 
As  to  the  two  former  points,  we  may  frankly  admit 
the  risk  of  evils.  These  may  occur,  indeed,  on  any 
system  that  can  be  devised,  in  the  hands  of  men  sanc- 
tified but  in  part  ; and  our  best  defence  against  them 
will  be  found  in  the  guidance  and  help  granted  from 
on  high,  in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  the  churches. 
Besides  this,  there  are  three  things  which  tend  in  our 
body  to  diminish  the  risk  of  evils  in  the  working  of 
our  missionary  plans.  I.  The  religious  training  of 
our  ministers  and  people  of  every  calling,  greatly 
tends  to  a union  of  views  on  all  the  leading  subjects 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  225 


involved  in  the  missionary  work,  and  of  course  dimin- 
ishes the  risk  of  disagreement  between  the  mission- 
aries and  the  executive  officers,  and  between  the 
missionaries  themselves,  — amongst  whom,  indeed, 
this  risk  is  greatest.  2.  “ Public  sentiment  ” is  not 
less  powerful  amongst  us  than  among  the  supporters 
of  missionary  institutions,  who  rely  almost  solely  on 
public  opinion  for  the  prevention  and  redress  of  evils. 
We  are  advocates  of  the  proper  application  of  this 
somewhat  indefinite  power,  to  promote  the  successful 
working  of  all  our  benevolent  schemes.  3.  Our 
church  courts  afford  an  easy  and  well-understood 
means  of  correcting  any  abuse  of  power  on  the  part 
of  those  entrusted  with  the  large  discretion  which  must 
be  lodged  somewhere,  as  well  as  a protection  to  them 
against  unreasonable  and  fault-finding  men. 

The  inquiry  may  here  be  made,  however,  whether 
some  simpler  method  of  conducting  the  affairs  of  the 
Missionary  Board  could  not  be  advantageously 
adopted?  It  is  a presumptive  answer  in  the  negative, 
that  nearly  all  the  missionary  institutions  that  have 
been  formed  in  the  last  half  century,  with  a view  of 
conducting  missions  to  the  heathen  on  an  extended 
scale,  have  adopted  substantially  the  same  method. 
A central  or  working  Committee,  secretaries  as  may 
be  needed,  and  a treasurer,  with  the  extended  use  of 
the  press,  are  features  common  to  the  principal  mis- 
sionary societies.  The  exceptions  to  this  remark  can 
be  accounted  for  without  invalidating  its  correctness. 
A body  of  Christian  people,  living  in  a small  terri- 
tory, marked  by  homogeneous  character,  and  pos- 


226 


MIS  SION  A R V PAPERS. 


sessing  fixed  incomes,  may  construct  missionary 
“schemes”  that  can  be  worked  well  and  at  small 
expense  in  one  or  two  fields  of  labor.  Another  body 
of  Christians  accustomed  to  the  government  of  bishops 
or  superintendents,  whose  general  church  organization 
is  mainly  a home  missionary  one,  may  readily  add  to 
this  a foreign  department,  at  a small  cost  for  execu- 
\ tive  service.  In  either  case,  the  less  costly  adminis- 
tration would  be  a serious  objection,  if  it  prevented 
the  adoption  of  measures  commensurate  with  the 
work  to  which  our  Church  is  called  ; and  in  regard  to 
the  latter  example,  our  missionary  brethren  and  our 
ministers  and  people  at  home  would  not  consent  to 
place  such  unrestricted  power  in  the  hands  of  a few 
men,  no  matter  what  might  be  their  excellence.  In 
our  view,  this  method  of  proceeding  would  restrict 
the  healthy  development  of  the  missionary  work 
abroad,  and  would  impair  its  true  spirit  at  home ; so 
that  even  if  its  cost  for  executive  management  were 
low,  we  should  consider  it  a high-priced  economy. 
Different  denominations  of  Christians,  indeed,  may 
very  well  adopt  different  plans  of  missionary  proced- 
ure ; but  the  general  argument  from  experience,  we 
can  not  but  think,  remains  in  full  force. 

A proper  consideration  of  the  nature  and  circum- 
stances of  the  missionary  work,  we  apprehend,  will 
also  furnish  a negative  answer  to  this  inquiry,  as  will 
further  appear  in  the  sequel,  in  some  particulars. 
In  this  place,  we  merely  direct  attention  to  the  fact 
that  this  work  includes  several  departments  of  labor, 
involving  large  pecuniary  expenditures,  in  several 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  227 


distant  countries.  Were  the  missionary  policy  of 
our  Church  so  conducted  as  simply  to  provide  a sup- 
port for  the  missionaries  and  nothing  less  or  more, 
no  doubt  the  executive  arrangements  might  be  placed 
on  a reduced  scale.  This  would  prove  a narrow  if 
riot  a suicidal  method,  forbidden  both  by  the  experi- 
ence of  the  Church  and  by  the  leadings  of  Providence 
in  our  day. 

The  plan  of  conducting  missions  by  Presbyteries 
in  this  country  has  been  spoken  of,  and  it  undoubt- 
edly possesses  certain  advantages  ; but  it  lacks  the 
condition  of  being  equally  available  by  all  our  Chris- 
tian people.  Some  Presbyteries  could  take  no  part  in 
the  work.  Or,  if  presbyterial  co-operation  were  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  enlist  both  the  strong  and  the  weak,  it 
is  difficult  to  see  what  would  thereby  be  gained  over 
and  above  the  substantial  advantages  of  the  plan 
now  in  use.  We  have  this  co-operation  already, 
under  the  direction  of  the  General  Assembly. 

There  is  yet  another  plan  of  proceeding,  that 
promises  simplicity  and  diminished  cost  of  manage- 
ment, which  was  for  a time  adopted  by  one  of  our  Amer- 
ican missionary  institutions.  According  to  this,  the 
Committee  was  instructed  to  make  remittances  of 
money  to  the  different  missions  in  gross  sums,  and  not 
in  detail  or  with  reference  to  particular  matters  in  the 
work  of  the  missions.  The  practical  result  of  this 
measure  was,  to  entrust  the  Committee  with  no  re- 
sponsibility for  the  expenditure  of  the  funds,  except 
that  of  apportioning  them  among  the  missions ; in 
other  words,  a certain  sum  of  money  was  to  be  sent 


228 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


to  each  mission,  to  be  expended  at  its  discretion.  On 
its  face,  this  plan  looked  simple  and  comprehensive. 
It  relieved  the  Committee  from  the  consideration  of 
many  details,  and  diminished  the  risk  of  differing 
judgments  between  the  Committee  and  the  mission. 
It  proposed  greatly  to  reduce  the  work  to  be  done  in 
the  “ Mission  House,”  and  thereby  to  lessen  the  cost 
of  executive  agency.  But  the  main  argument  in  its 
favor  was  the  assumption,  that  if  men  are  worthy  of 
being  sent  forth  as  missionaries,  they  may  well  be 
trusted  with  the  unchecked  disposal  of  all  needed 
missionary  funds.  All  this  looked  fair  and  good. 

The  history  of  this  modification  of  the  relations 
between  the  Committee  and  the  missionaries,  in  the 
denomination  that  adopted  it,  did  not,  it  must  be 
acknowledged,  speak  encouragingly  of  its  success  in 
future  practice.  Difficulties  occurred,  some  years  ago, 
between  some  of  the  missions  and  the  Committee,  as 
a sequel  to  serious  differences  of  opinion  among  the 
missionaries  themselves.  Protracted  correspondence 
between  the  two  parties ; a deputation  to  the  distant 
missionary  field,  consisting  of  one  of  the  secretaries 
and  a prominent  pastor ; discussions  in  the  annual 
meetings  of  the  society;  letters  in  the  newspapers  and 
newspaper  editorials  ; a convention  of  leading  clergy- 
men and  laymen  held  for  several  days — all  seemed 
unhappily  to  end  in  no  measures  of  peace  ; and  finally 
the  short  and  comprehensive  resolution  was  adopted 
which  embodied  this  new  arrangement.  It  was  the 
fruit,  therefore,  of  discord  among  brethren.  It  was 
soon  complained  of  by  leading  men  at  home  and  by 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK  OF  MISSIONS.  229 


missionaries  abroad.  Some  of  the  latter  felt  aggrieved 
under  the  old  policy  by  what  they  called  the  Prelatic 
character  of  the  Committee  ; it  was  a despotism  which 
Independent  ministers  ought  not  to  submit  to.  Under 
the  new  rule  the  same  brethren  were  aggrieved  by  the 
Presbyterian  aspect  of  the  new  measure  ; Independent 
ministers  ought  to  be  independent,  and  not  be  required 
to  shape  their  action  by  the  determination  of  a mis- 
sion, which,  they  contended,  is  virtually  a Presbytery. 
We  suspect  the  real  difficulty  lay  very  much  in  Inde- 
pendency— both  as  a form  of  church  government,  and 
as  a phase  of  our  fallen  humanity.  But  however  true  or 
erroneous  this  surmise  may  be,  we  have  other  grounds 
of  misgiving  concerning  this  method  ; these  we  may 
briefly  suggest. 

1.  It  transferred  the  responsibility  of  the  best  ex- 
penditure of  missionary  funds  from  the  Committee 
and  the  mission  to  the  mission  alone,  thus  removing 
it  too  far  from  the  hands  of  the  donors,  and  losing  one 
of  the  securities  for  its  best  outlay.  The  donors  are 
entitled  to  have  the  best  guaranties  which  the  case 
admits  of,  that  their  contributions  will  be  expended 
with  fidelity  and  efficiency.  On  the  plans  of  our  Board 
and  similar  institutions,  there  is  a double  security  that 
this  result  will  be  gained.  The  missions  first  prepare 
carefully  considered  estimates  of  what  they  deem 
necessary  or  useful  expenditures  in  the  ensuing  year, 
specifying  all  the  usual  departments  of  their  work  in 
some  detail.  These  estimates  are  carefully  reviewed 
by  the  Board,  whose  members  are  from  the  nature  of 
their  trust  predisposed  to  concur  with  the  brethren  on 


230 


M I S SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


the  ground,  but  who  act  under  a more  immediate  re- 
sponsibility to  the  churches  at  home,  and  with  a much 
more  complete  understanding  of  the  wants  of  the 
whole  missionary  field,  and  also  with  a better  knowl- 
edge of  the  amount  of  funds  likely  to  be  available  for 
the  work.  The  old  method  embraces,  therefore,  both 
the  particular  information  of  the  missionaries  and  the 
general  sanction  of  the  Committee— a two-fold  judg- 
ment which  may  well  receive  the  confidence  of  the 
churches.  2.  The  modified  policy  placed  the  responsi- 
bility of  the  best  expenditure  of  missionary  funds  in 
the  hands  of  men  who  are  not  always  prepared  to 
meet  it.  A mission  sometimes  consists  of  but  one  or 
two  members ; sometimes  its  members  may  not  pos- 
sess experience,  talent,  or  taste  for  the  charge  of 
pecuniary  affairs ; sometimes  they  have  been  long 
absent  from  their  native  country,  and  can  not  well 
appreciate  the  views  of  the  donors  or  the  churches  at 
home.  In  most,  if  not  in  all  missions,  moreover,  the 
missionaries  will  at  times  differ  among  themselves  as 
to  the  relative  importance  of  different  kinds  of  work ; 
one  regards  oral  preaching  as  the  only  thing  ; another 
advocates  the  instruction  of  the  youth  in  Christian 
schools  ; a third  has  some  other  favorite  views  of  his 
work.  Who  shall  decide  among  these  differing  breth- 
ren ? 3.  This  plan  would  often  leave  the  minority  in 

a mission  without  redress,  in  the  event  of  their  breth- 
ren adopting  measures  which  they  do  not  approve ; 
and  thus  it  would  become  oppressive. 

This  modified  plan  did  not  last  long.  Afterwards 
a method  was  devised  that  was  adapted  to  the  inde- 


ESTIMATES— LOCAL  FUNDS. 


231 


pendency  of  each  missionary,  but  which  need  not  be 
here  described.  For  our  Church  and  its  missions  we 
may  rest  contented  with  plans  which  on  the  whole 
have  worked  well. 


LVIII. 

ESTIMATES— LOCAL  FUNDS. 

As  to  the  Board’s  endorsement  of  objects,  we  can 
not  but  think  that  its  rule  is  a reasonable  one,  and 
one  which  should  be  welcomed  by  the  supporters  of 
our  missions.  We  quote  two  paragraphs  from  its 
Manual : 

“ 5.  The  mission  should  prepare  at  the  end  of  each 
year  a careful  estimate  of  the  probable  necessary  ex- 
penses of  its  work  for  the  year  ensuing,  specifying 
the  different  objects  in  detail,  to  be  forwarded  to  the 
Board  the  first  week  in  January.  When  there  is 
more  than  one  station  in  a mission,  each  station  should 
prepare  its  estimates,  to  be  submitted  for  examination 
and  approval  by  the  mission  at  its  annual  meeting ; 
and  the  general  estimates  of  the  mission  should  be 
based  on  and  include  these  station  estimates.  It  is 
the  desire  of  the  Board  that  the  estimates  should  be 
so  complete  as  to  preclude  special  applications  to 
churches,  Sabbath-schools,  or  other  associations,  for 
objects  not  specified  in  them.  No  missionary  should 
apply  to  the  Board  for  funds  for  mission  work,  with- 
out first  conferring  with  the  mission.  When  these 


232 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


mission  estimates  have  been  approved  by  the  Board, 
they  govern  the  expenditure  of  the  year,  and  must 
not  be  exceeded.  If  special  cases  arise,  calling  for 
new  expenditure,  they  should  be  made  matters  of 
correspondence  with  the  Board,  excepting  when  funds 
to  meet  them  are  provided  from  other  sources  than 
the  treasury  of  the  Board,  such  as  donations  of  Chris- 
tian friends  at  the  station,  or  from  other  sources  re- 
ferred to  in  the  next  paragraph. 

“ 6.  The  object  of  missionary  life  must  ever  be  held 
sacred,  that  of  preaching  Christ  and  him  crucified,  but 
if,  without  turning  aside  from  this  object,  missionaries 
should  be  led  by  providential  circumstances,  with  the 
consent  of  their  brethren  in  the  mission,  and  the  ap- 
proval of  the  Board,  to  engage  in  work  that  brings  to 
them  pecuniary  remuneration,  the  moneys  so  received 
should  be  turned  over  to  the  treasury  of  the  mission, 
to  be  used  as  local  funds  under  its  direction,  and  to 
be  reported  to  the  Board ; in  such  cases  the  mission- 
aries will  continue  to  draw  their  usual  salaries  from 
the  Board.” 

Here  it  may  be  noted — I.  That  these  estimates 
begin  with  the  brethren  in  the  field.  2.  That  their 
common  or  united  judgment  is  sought  as  to  all  parts 
of  their  work.  3.  That  ample  margin  is  given  for 
new  objects.  4.  That  the  approval  of  the  Board  is 
needful.  5.  That  local  gifts  or  income  in  the  mission 
is  left  to  the  disposal  of  its  members.  These  things 
seem  to  combine  free  action  abroad  with  general 
supervision  at  home,  in  a way  not  objectionable  or 
injurious,  and  such  as  may  well  receive  the  confidence 


SUPER  VISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  233 


of  our  churches.  Exception  is  indeed  sometimes 
taken  to  the  second  of  these  provisos ; personal  attach- 
ment sometimes  leads  donors  to  wish  their  gifts  to  be 
expended  by  a particular  missionary,  and  on  the  other 
hand,  missionaries  sometimes,  though  but  rarely,  wish 
to  have  funds  placed  at  their  personal  disposal.  In 
actual  practice,  this  result  is  sometimes  secured  ; but 
we  think  our  readers  generally,  as  we  believe  the  mis- 
sionaries also  in  most  cases,  approve  the  rule  as  it 
stands.  It  certainly  appears  to  afford  a good  and 
sufficient  reason  of  the  judicious  use  of  sacred  funds. 

Exception  has  also  been  taken  to  the  fourth  point 
— the  approval  of  the  Board,  as  if  it  were  adverse  to 
liberty  of  action.  We  may  suggest — 1.  That  in  prac- 
tice this  rule  has  seldom  been  complained  of.  With 
missions  in  so  many  different  countries  everybody 
sees  that  some  directing  organization  is  needful.  If 
mistakes  or  evils  of  any  kind  occur,  they  may  usually 
be  ascribed  to  the  imperfection  of  the  agents,  rather 
than  of  the  rule  itself.  But  2,  if  serious  evils  should 
occur,  and  such  as  are  not  remediable  by  kind  Chris- 
tian conference,  then  our  Church  system  provides  an 
authoritative,  easily  understood,  readily  applicable 
way  of  correcting  them. 


LIX. 

SUPERVISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 

In  considering  the  relations  of  missionaries  and 
mission  churches  to  each  other  and  to  the  mother 


234 


M I S SION  A R V PAPERS. 


Church  as  these  relations  affect  the  question  of  super- 
vision, we  look  at  the  subject  from  the  ground  occu- 
pied by  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Other  churches 
have  their  respective  methods  of  supervising  the 
work  of  missions,  methods  formed  or  modified  by  doc- 
trinal or  ecclesiastical  views ; with  these  we  have  no 
controversy.  Christian  union  is  nowhere  more  im- 
portant than  on  missionary  ground,  and  it  is  nowhere 
more  practically  exemplified ; while  yet  denomina- 
tional preferences  are  manifested  there,  as  they  must 
be  everywhere  else  so  long  as  men  are  not  agreed  in 
their  views  of  doctrine  or  church  order.  It  is  not 
possible  to  give  the  Gospel  in  the  abstract  to  the 
heathen ; men  can  no  more  disregard  questions  of 
church  order  and  of  doctrine  in  China  than  in  America ; 
they  present  themselves  in  the  most  practical  forms. 
Christian  union  is  not  to  be  promoted  by  throwing 
down  denominational  lines,  but  in  the  good  old  way  of 
spreading  the  truth  as  it  is  revealed — doing  this  more 
and  more  in  the  loving  spirit  of  the  great  Teacher, 
and  then  when  men  are  agreed  they  will  walk  to- 
gether. 

In  the  meantime  our  missionary  work  must,  from 
the  nature  of  the  case,  conform  to  the  views  of  truth 
and  church  order  which  are  held  by  those  who  engage 
in  it.  Missions  are  but  the  outgrowth  of  Christian 
piety  in  the  churches  at  home,  streams  from  fountains 
in  distant  countries,  and  the  distance  to  which  they 
flow  will  not  make  them  rise  higher  than  their  source. 
It  will  be  found  unwise  for  missionaries  to  adopt 
measures  that  are  much  in  advance  of  the  home  po- 


SUPER  VISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  235 


sition  of  their  churches  as  to  union  with  other  churches. 
. . . . We  are  indeed  warmly  in  favor  of  the  union 
of  all  Christians,  and  especially  of  all  Presbyterians, 
but  we  see  clearly  that  it  must  be  union  founded  on 
agreement  in  the  truth — in  the  doctrines  of  grace, 
and  agreement  also,  though  not  so  completely,  in  re- 
spect to  the  order  of  the  Church. 

The  work  of  missions  needs  supervision  of  some 
kind.  It  is,  indeed,  a work  divinely  simple  in  its 
objects  and  resting  on  the  principle  of  faith  ; but 
it  is  vast  in  its  extent,  and  it  is  carried  on  in  different 
countries,  and  among  people  of  various  languages  ; it 
relates  to  preaching,  teaching,  translating  the  Script- 
ures, organizing  churches,  transforming  the  moral 
elements  of  society ; it  involves  a considerable  ex- 
penditure of  money,  which  is  given  by  numerous  and 
widely  separated  donors,  each  of  whom  is  entitled  to 
be  well  assured  that  his  gift  is  expanded  to  the  best 
advantage  of  the  great  cause ; it  includes  many  de- 
tails, and  often  it  must  be  fulfilled  in  new  and  per- 
plexing circumstances.  The  missionaries  are  at  first 
usually  young  men,  necessarily  possessing  but  little 
experience,  needing  counsel ; and  they  are  mostly 
men  of  such  excellence  that  they  welcome,  within 
proper  limits,  the  assistance  and  direction  of  their 
brethren.  It  is  never  the  best  and  ablest  missionaries, 
so  far  as  our  observation  goes,  who  say,  “ Send  out  the 
best  men,  supply  them  with  all  the  funds  they  need, 
and  then  let  them  do  all  the  good  they  can:”  It  is 
not  any  missionary  of  judgment  and  experience,  who 
could  make  the  remark,  that  “your  Boards  at  home 


236 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


should  be  content  to  consider  themselves  a committee 
to  raise  and  send  on  the  funds.”  It  is  not  necessary 
to  dwell  longer,  however,  on  the  importance  of  the 
supervision  of  missions.  It  should  be  properly 
regulated,  and  by  no  means  irresponsible  ; it  should 
be  intelligent,  wise,  considerate,  and  eminently  for- 
bearing ; but  that  it  should  not  be  real  and  sufficient, 
we  see  no  more  reason  for  believing  in  the  work  of 
missions  than  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  at  home. 
Indeed,  our  Church  system  is  pervaded  with  this 
salutary  influence  in  all  its  parts.  Sessions  watch 
over  the  members  of  the  Church,  and  these  over  each 
other  in  a brotherly  spirit ; Presbyteries  watch  over 
churches  and  all  persons  under  their  care,  and  so  of 
all  our  church  courts.  Congregations  watch  over  their 
pastors,  informally,  but  really — with  sympathy,  kind- 
ness, and  prayer,  it  ever  should  be.  Our  professors, 
secretaries,  and  committees  are  all  men  under  law, 
and  not  independent ; and  we  see  not  why  mission- 
aries should  be  considered  an  excepted  class,  and,  so 
far  as  we  are  informed,  there  are  few  missionaries 
who  would  covet  an  independent  position. 

How,  then,  shall  this  supervision  be  conducted? 
In  a full  reply  to  this  inquiry,  the  home  and  the  for- 
eign aspects  of  the  subject  might  be  separately  dis- 
cussed, but  we  need  not  pay  much  attention  to  this 
division  ; the  principles  involved  are  of  common  value 
in  the  home  or  executive  administration  of  the  work, 
and  in  the  performance  of  the  work  on  missionary 
ground,  as  will  be  apparent  further  on.  Our  reply  to 
the  question  is,  that  so  far  as  the  supervision  of  the 


SUPER  VISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  237 

work  of  missions  is  official,  it  should  be  made  through 
our  Presbyteries,  Synods,  Assemblies,  and  through  such 
committee  of  missions  as  the  General  Assembly  may 
appoint.  To  the  former  part  of  this  answer  no  Pres- 
byterian will  object.  In  practice,  the  missions  of  our 
body  are  conformed  to  our  theory  ; both  missionaries 
and  churches  are  connected  with  the  Church  at  home, 
amenable  to  its  authority,  and  fully  enjoying  the  bene- 
fits of  its  supervision.  Where  there  are  ministers 
enough  in  the  mission  they  should  be  organized  as  a 
Presbytery,  and  it  is  an  object  of  desire  to  have  Pres- 
byteries formed  in  every  missionary  field  as  soon  as  the 
number  of  ministers  will  permit.  We  need  not  dwell 
on  the  subject  of  presbyterial  superintendence,  the 
same  substantially  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and 
familiar  to  our  readers.  So  far  as  the  work  of  mis- 
sions is  concerned,  it  includes  whatever  is  necessary 
in  the  ecclesiastical  relations  of  missionaries  and  their 
churches,  both  to  each  other  and  to  the  Church 
supporting  the  mission. 

While  this  supervision  of  Presbytery  is  not  repu- 
diated by  any  of  our  brethren,  it  is  injured  by  two  opin- 
ions ; indeed  these  virtually  set  aside  the  superintend- 
ence of  our  Presbyterian  system  in  the  mission  field. 
One  of  these  opinions  maintains  that  the  missionaries 
should  not  become  members  of  Presbyteries  of  which 
native  ministers  are  members,  but  should  retain  their 
connection  with  Presbyteries  at  home ; the  other 
maintains  that  the  native  churches  should  be  inde- 
pendent of  our  churches.  According  to  one  of  these 
opinions,  the  Church  at  home  could  exercise  no  ec- 


238 


M. IS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


clesiastical  supervision  whatever  over  the  native  con- 
verts of  her  missionaries ; and  according  to  the  other, 
the  missionaries  would  be  virtually  irresponsible,  for 
no  Presbytery  in  this  country  could  exercise  more 
than  a nominal  supervision  over  brethren  living  on 
the  other  side  of  the  world.  The  situation  of  the 
native  churches  in  this  matter  is  in  some  respects 
peculiar.  Too  far  distant  to  send  commissioners  to 
the  General  Assembly,  speaking  a different  language, 
mostly  in  very  straitened  pecuniary  circumstances,  it 
is  obvious  that  these  native  brethren  can  not  enjoy  the 
full  benefit  of  our  presbyterial  system  ; nobody  claims 
this  on  their  behalf.  But  this  should  not  preclude 
their  enjoying  such  advantages  as  maybe  within  their 
reach — the  sympathy,  care,  and  appellate  jurisdiction 
of  our  Synods  and  Assemblies,  so  far  as  the  nature  of 
the  case  permits.  Practical  matters  of  great  moment 
may  be  brought  before  the  higher  church  courts  from 
the  missionary  Presbyteries  without  personal  represen- 
tation, and  from  individual  members  also  in  many  in- 
stances, just  as  in  similar  cases  at  home.  Even  if  the 
Presbytery  abroad  were  related  to  the  General  As- 
sembly in  all  respects  as  are  the  Presbyteries  at  home, 
it  is  not  to  be  conceded  that  a native  appellant  or 
memorialist  would  not  receive  justice  at  the  hands  of 

the  distant  court  of  his  brethren The  relation 

between  the  native  churches  and  their  far  distant 
mother  Church,  moreover,  is  only  temporary  and 
transitional.  While  they  are  children,  let  them  enjoy 
whatever  benefits  they  may  be  able  to  derive  from 
their  friends  in  another  land  ; it  will  be  the  prayer  of 


SUPER  VISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  239 


all  that  they  may  soon  be  able  to  dispense  with  aid 
from  abroad.  Happy  for  them  and  for  us,  the  hour 
when  they  can  stand  alone  as  a native  church!  In 
the  meantime,  we  are  glad  to  think  of  the  native 
church  members  and  office-bearers  at  Corisco,  at 
Nin'gpo,  at  Bangkok,  and  at  other  missionary  stations, 
as  Christian  brethren  of  our  communion,  holding  the 
same  doctrines,  worshipping  God  in  the  same  order, 
and  represented  more  or  less  completely  in  the  same 
ecclesiastical  system. 

The  other  opinion  would  keep  the  missionaries  in 
connection  with  the  Presbyteries  at  home,  and  sepa- 
rate them  from  any  ecclesiastical  relations  with  the 
native  churches.  This  view  seems  to  us  objectionable 
on  various  grounds,  while  we  can  see  hardly  anything 
to  be  gained  by  it.  If,  indeed,  the  local  Presbytery 
were  not  connected  with  the  General  Assembly,  it 
might  happen  that  the  foreign  members,  being  out- 
numbered by  the  native  members,  would  suffer  incon- 
venience from  being  subject  to  brethren  less  educated 
and  less  qualified  to  judge  than  themselves  ; but  this 
is  to  suppose  an  improbable  case.  It  is  altogether 
likely  that  the  missionaries  will  always  possess 
quite  as  much  influence  in  Presbytery  as  they  ought 
to  have  ; indeed,  the  practical  danger  will  be  that 
of  their  having  too  much  influence.  They  will 
need  to  guard  against  overshadowing  their  native 
brethren,  and  to  be  watchful  to  put  honor  upon  them 
in  Presbyterial  proceedings ; and  if  irregular  meas- 
ures should  be  adopted  by  them  against  the  voice  of 
the  missionaries,  a corrective  influence  might  be 


240 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


drawn  from  the  appellate  action  of  the  Church  in  this 
country,  and  the  missionaries  could  easily  be  shielded 
from  serious  injury. 

Let  us  take  a good  example,  as  to  both  these  points 
and  others  also.  We  see  a company  of  missionaries 
landed  on  the  island  of  Corisco,  brought  together 
from  different  Presbyteries  at  home.  After  some 
time  they  can  preach  in  Benga,  and  they  are  called  to 
organize  churches,  to  train  and  license  candidates  for 
the  ministry,  to  ordain  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  some 
as  evangelists,  others  as  pastors  of  churches.  Here  is 
Presbyterial  work  to  be  done.  Let  the  missionary 
Presbyters  constitute  themselves  into  the  Presbytery 
of  Corisco  for  its  orderly  performance,  under  the 
rules  of  the  General  Assembly  which  provide  for  such 
cases.  The  membership  of  this  Presbytery  will  con- 
sist of  all  the  ministers  and  an  elder  from  each  church 
in  a certain  district,  agreeably  to  the  well-known 
order  of  our  standards.  We  would  not  restrict  clerical 
membership  in  this  body  to  native  ministers  ; we 
would  not  exclude  the  foreign  ministers,  the  founders 
of  the  churches,  because : I.  According  to  our  theory, 
these  ministers  are  all  of  official  parity — no  matter 
for  their  diversity  of  gifts,  or  their  difference  of  race. 
We  repudiate  the  idea  that  the  missionaries  have 
some  quasi-episcopal  function  as  evangelists,  or  any 
official  superiority  over  their  native  brethren,  and  that 
they  are  to  stand  aloof  from  them,  and  to  be  regarded 
by  them  as  of  a superior  order.  Presbyterians  have 
not  so  learned  Christ  and  his  Church.  These  min- 
isters at  Corisco,  as  the  ministers  of  Christ,  occupy 


SUPER  VISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  241 


the  same  grade  in  his  house,  neither  higher  nor  lower, 
because  some  of  them  are  Americans  and  others 
Bengas. 

2.  These  ministers  can,  as  members  of  the  same 
Presbytery,  best  watch  over  each  other’s  ministerial 
character  and  conduct.  Obviously  this  is  true  as  to 
the  native  ministers,  who  are  as  yet  inexperienced, 
but  partially  educated,  in  need  of  counsel  and  co- 
operation, and  whose  wants  in  these  respects  can  be 
supplied  as  occasion  requires  in  the  wide  circle  of  cir- 
cumstances and  duties  which  occupy  the  attention  of 
Presbytery.  The  deliberations  and  proceedings  of 
this  body  will  afford  to  them  an  excellent  school  of 
ministerial  training,  and  its  fraternal  intercourse  will 
prevent  or  remove  misunderstandings  between  the 
foreign  and  the  native  ministers. 

The  benefits  of  this  common  Presbyterial  union  of 
the  missionaries  must  not  be  considered  as  only  one- 
sided. The  foreign  minister  may  derive  much  advan- 
tage from  membership  in  the  local  Presbytery,  espe- 
cially as  compared  with  membership  in  a Presbytery 
in  a distant  country.  He  may  learn  much  from  being 
thus  brought  into  close  official  contact  with  his  native 
brethren ; he  may  be  shielded  sometimes  from  re- 
proach ; excited  to  greater  fidelity,  and  comforted  by 
brotherly  sympathy ; he  may  be  aided  in  overcoming 
the  peculiar  temptations  which  assail  him.  An  ex- 
ample may  be  cited  here,  without  impropriety.  An  or- 
dained missionary,  not  at  Corisco,  but  in  another  part 
of  Africa,  was  permitted  to  fall  before  temptation. 
Pie  was  connected  with  an  interior  Presbytery  in  the 


242 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


southern  part  of  our  country,  and  after  long  delay, 
owing  to  the  difficulty  of  action  by  a Presbytery  so 
far  distant,  he  was  eventually  suspended  from  the 
ministry.  Probably  this  minister  might  have  been 
kept  from  falling,  if  he  had  been  surrounded  by  the 
kindly  restraints  and  benefits  of  a Presbytery  on  the 
ground.  It  is  pleasant  to  add,  that  the  suspension 
was  subsequently  removed  by  a Presbytery  formed  in 
that  country. 

3.  In  this  manner  the  best  supervision  of  the  na- 
tive churches  can  be  secured.  It  would  be  difficult 
to  say  whether  the  foreign  or  the  native  element 
could  be  eliminated  from  Presbytery  in  respect  to 
this  supervision  with  least  injury  to  the  churches. 
The  questions  of  casuistry,  the  cases  of  discipline, 
the  measures  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  all  need 
the  united  action  of  both.  Each  may  be  helpful  to 
the  other,  not  only  in  private  unofficial  intercourse, 
but  in  Presbyterial  proceedings.  We  do  not  believe, 
however,  that  the  foreign  ministers  should  long  act 
as  pastors  of  the  native  churches.  At  first  they  must 
do  so  from  necessity,  but  the  continuance  of  this  rela- 
tion is  not  to  be  desired.  In  too  many  respects  do 
the  foreign  ministers  differ  from  their  native  brethren 
— in  previous  training,  in  social  habits  and  usages,  in 
all  domestic  associations  ; besides,  they  have  other 
and  wider -spreading  work,  which  precludes  their 
being  long  restricted  to  the  care  of  a native  church. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  native  minister  is  well  quali- 
fied to  be  the  under-shepherd  of  the  flock ; and  only 
with  such  a pastor  can  any  native  church  learn  the 


SUPER  VISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  243 


duty  of  supporting  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel.  Yet 
in  many  things  the  native  pastor  will  long  need  the 
counsel  and  assistance  of  his  foreign  brethren,  and  it 
may  be  their  protection  also,  as  members  of  the  same 
Presbytery.  In  all  these  matters  the  aim  of  the  mis- 
sionaries should  be  so  to  mould  and  direct  the  native 
Christian  community,  clerical  and  lay,  as  to  dispense 
with  foreign  dependence  and  assistance  at  the  earliest 
possible  period. 

It  is  not  an  objection  to  the  foregoing  outline,  to 
say  that  these  missionary  Presbyteries  are  and  will  be 
mainly  American  in  their  membership.  At  first,  of 
course,  they  are  ; but  they  will  not  so  continue  if 
God  be  still  with  his  servants  in  their  work.  How 
soon  these  temporary  relations  between  the  churches 
in  Africa,  India,  China,  and  elsewhere,  and  our  Gen- 
eral Assembly  will  be  dissolved,  by  their  advance  in 
growth  and  strength,  we  do  not  venture  to  predict. 
In  some  cases  it  will  be  at  an  earlier  day  than  in 
others.  If  the  intercommunication  of  nations  con- 
tinues to  increase  in  speed  and  facility,  the  difficul- 
ties of  the  present  relations  between  the  missionary 
churches  and  their  mother  Church  will  diminish  ; but 
nevertheless  both  parties  should  pray  for  the  day  of 
their  happy  separation.  In  the  meantime,  while  our 
Church  will  still  be  the  Church  in  the  United  States 
of  America,  its  representation  may  include  her  sons 
and  their  spiritual  offspring  in  other  countries,  as  the 
civil  government  of  the  country  extends  its  protec- 
tion over  our  citizens  and  their  children  in  foreign 
lands 


244 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


/ We  shall  not  enter  at  any  length  on  the  second  offi- 
cial way  of  exercising  missionary  supervision,  through 
such  Committee  or  Board  of  Missions  as  the  General 
Assembly  may  appoint.  This  kind  of  supervision  is 
regarded  with  jealousy  by  some.  We  may  readily 
concede  that  an  irresponsible  Committee,  or  one  amen- 
able only  to  public  opinion,  might  wield  its  super- 
intendence injuriously,  while  those  who  suffered 
thereby  would  have  little  hope  of  redress  ; and  we 
also  concede  that  any  Committee  may  make  mis- 
takes, even  though  it  be  composed  of  men  who  are 
under  law,  and  who  are  governed  by  the  best  motives. 
But  on  the  theory  of  our  Church  these  Committees 
do  not  supersede  in  any  way  our  regular  church 
courts,  nor  in  the  least  degree  interfere  with  their 
proper  action  ; in  fact,  these  Committees  or  Boards 
are  but  business  organizations,  created  by  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  subject  to  its  modification,  and  liable 
to  be  dissolved  at  its  pleasure.  All  their  proceedings, 
moreover,  pass  annually  under  the  review  of  the  As- 
sembly ; and  it  is  easy  for  any  missionary,  or  even 
for  any  member  amongst  the  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  our  communicants,  to  obtain  in  an  orderly  way, 
usually  through  his  Presbytery,  an  examination  of 
alleged  grievances  or  misuse  of  power.  Let  appli- 
cation be  made  in  a Christian  spirit  to  those  who  are 
intrusted  with  the  oversight  of  the  work  of  missions 
— first,  to  the  executive  officers  ; next,  if  need  be,  to 
the  Board.  If  further  examination  is  needed,  then 
let  application  be  made  to  the  General  Assembly, 
through  the  usual  forms.  It  speaks  well  for  the 


SUPER  VISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  245 


Board  and  its  Executive  Committee  and  officers,  and 
for  the  missionaries  ; or  rather  it  speaks  well  for  the 
correctness  of  our  missionary  system,  that  in  the 
period  of  more  than  thirty  years  since  the  work  of 
foreign  missions  was  entered  upon  in  its  present 
methods  by  the  Synod  of  Pittsburg,  no  complaint 
has  been  laid  before  the  General  Assembly  touching 
the  administration  of  the  missionary  interests  of  our 
Church. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  the  Board,  as  appointed 
by  the  General  Assembly,  is  not  an  ecclesiastical 
body,  but  a kind  of  permanent  or  standing  commit- 
tee of  that  body,  “ to  which,  for  the  time  being,  shall 
be  entrusted,  with  such  directions  and  instructions  as 
may  from  time  to  time  be  given  by  the  General 
Assembly,  the  superintendence  of  the  foreign  mis- 
sionary operations  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.”  This 
Board  or  Committee  might  be  dispensed  with,  and 
its  functions  performed  by  the  General  Assembly  it- 
self, if  requisite  attention  could  be  given  by  that 
body  to  many  matters  of  business  which  are  involved 
in  the  missionary  work.  Or  a Presbytery,  two  or 
more  Presbyteries,  a Synod,  or  several  Synods,  might 
engage  directly  in  this  work  ; but  they  would  soon 
find  great  inconvenience  in  attending  to  its  business 
matters,  and  to  the  superintendence  of  missionary 
affairs  in  the  field  of  labor.  These  would  be  found 
indeed  so  onerous  as  to  prove  a fatal  hinderance  in 
most  cases  to  the  prosecution  of  the  work  by  such 
bodies,  in  their  formal  action  as  church  courts.  The 
Board  becomes  a convenient  and  useful  part  of  our 


246 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


agency.  This  Board  might  be  appointed  or  consti- 
tuted in  different  methods.  The  simpler  these  are, 
the  better  ; and  the  more  closely  the  Board  and  its 
executive  officers  are  connected  with  and  dependent 
on  the  General  Assembly,  undoubtedly  the  better  it 
will  prove  for  all  parties,  and  all  the  interests  of  the 
cause  of  missions. 

We  take  the  Board  as  it  stands,  charged  with  “ the 
superintendence  of  the  foreign  missionary  operations” 
of  our  Church.  These  include  the  choice  of  mission- 
ary fields,  the  appointment  of  missionaries,  making 
provision  for  their  support  and  that  of  their  work, 
the  general  oversight  of  their  proceedings,  as  well  as 
of  many  matters  of  detail  connected  with  the  welfare 
of  families  so  far  separated  from  their  friends  and 
country.  A more  singularly  miscellaneous  class  of 
duties  and  interests  can  be  found  in  no  part  of  our 
commercial  metropolis  than  is  found  to  centre  at  the 
Mission  House,  and  many  of  these  interests  are  of 
the  highest  importance.  Beside  the  various  matters 
abroad  which  require  supervision,  the  home  depart- 
ment of  the  work  must  receive  due  attention  ; this 
includes  the  care  of  missionary  funds,  the  preparation 
of  annual  reports,  the  publication  of  missionary  in- 
telligence, a remarkably  varied  correspondence,  etc. 
The  least  inspection  of  this  list  will  suggest  questions 
concerning  details,  which  we  must  pass  by  with  the 
remark  that  these  administrative  affairs  are  so  per- 
formed and  made  matters  of  record,  as  to  admit  of 
being  readily  understood.  . The  accountability  of 
those  engaged  in  these  things  is  complete. 


SUPER  VISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  247 


Looking  now  on  the  duties  entrusted  to  the  Board 
with  particular  reference  to  the  supervision  of 
the  missions,  we  note,  1.  It  is  not  ecclesiastical  ; it 
does  not  take  into  its  purview  any  ecclesiastical  ques- 
tions whatever.  2.  It  follows  mainly  the  line  of 
pecuniary  outlay.  Is  it  proposed  to  send  out  a new 
missionary,  to  establish  a new  mission,  to  occupy  a 
new  station,  to  erect  a dwelling-house,  to  open  a 
school  ? All  of  these  are  things  calling  for  the  ex- 
penditure of  the  missionary  funds  of  the  Church,  and 
in  all  of  them  the  Committee  not  only  may  with  pro- 
priety, but  must  of  necessity,  if  it  would  be  faithful 
in  its  “ superintendence,”  be  satisfied  as  to  the  expe- 
diency of  such  expenditure.  Were  there  but  one 
mission,  or  but  a single  missionary,  the  funds  of  the 
Church  might  be  devoted  to  the  work  in  progress  with 
less  need  of  minute  supervision.  It  would  then  be 
practicable  to  transmit  funds  without  much  scrutiny 
of  the  way  in  which  they  would  be  expended  — 
though  even  then  inquiry,  deliberation,  and  judgment 
on  the  part  of  the  home  executive  officers  could  do 
no  harm  ; but  the  case  is  different  when  several  mis- 
sions and  numerous  missionaries  are  supported  by 
the  Church.  The  apportionment  of  the  missionary 
funds  becomes  then  a question  of  relative  importance, 
and  one  that,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  must  be 
decided  by  the  Central  Committee,  after  viewing  the 
whole  field  of  labor.  The  appointment  of  mission- 
aries to  different  missions  must  be  made  also  from 
this  same  central  point  of  view.  As  to  their  posts  of 
labor,  however,  the  missionaries  are  always  consulted. 


248 


MIS  SI ON  A R Y PAPERS. 


and  usually  the  reasons  which  lead  the  Committee  to 
propose  to  them  the  occupancy  of  a particular  field, 
will  be  found  to  be  such  as  will  satisfy  their  judg- 
ment ; besides,  none  are  appointed  to  any  mission 
without  their  consent.  All  this  has  much  to  do  with 
the  future  supervision  of  their  work,  as  from  the  be- 
ginning the  relations  between  the  missionaries  and 
the  executive  officers  are  those  which  should  exist 
between  Christian  brethren  who  are  engaged  in  a 
common  enterprise. 

The  distribution  of  funds  among  different  missions, 
and  to  each  mission  separately,  is  also  conducted  on 
the  basis  of  a common  interest,  though  here  a some- 
what different  responsibility  attaches  to  the  laborers 
in  the  missionary  rooms  and  those  in  the  fields 
abroad.  In  usual  practice,  the  subject  is  found 
to  be  arranged  without  friction.  The  missionaries 
make  estimates  of  the  expenditures  of  the  coming 
year,  giving  details  specifying  their  own  support,  that 
of  their  native  assistants,  and  the  expenses  of  the 
various  departments  of  the  work.  These  estimates 
from  all  the  missions  are  considered  by  the  home 
committee,  acting  with  such  particular  knowledge  of' 
most,  if  not  all,  the  matters  concerned,  as  enables 
them  to  form  an  independent  judgment  of  their  ex- 
pediency ; in  this  way  a wise  conclusion  is  reached  as 
to  the  amount  of  funds  that  should  be  transmitted  to 
each  mission,  or  rather  the  amount  that  can  be  sent 
in  view  of  the  probable  income  of  the  Board.  Two 
things  are  obvious  here,  1.  That  there  must  be  a 
central  or  home  committee  to  take  the  executive 


SUPERVISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  249 


charge  of  these  matters ; and  2.  That  this  committee 
and  its  officers  stand  in  a twofold  relation — on  one 
side,  to  the  churches  at  home  ; on  the  other,  to  the 
missionaries  abroad. 

It  will  readily  be  seen  that  in  the  oversight  of 
matters  of  such  moment,  and  particularly  of  a some- 
what large  pecuniary  outlay,  in  so  many  different  coun- 
tries and  ways,  there  is  need  on  the  part  of  the  home 
agents  of  a wise  discretion ; of  firmness  also,  coupled 
with  self-distrust  and  a reliance  on  the  guidance  of 
Divine  grace.  But  inasmuch  as  all  engaged  in  the 
missionary  work,  at  home  and  abroad,  are  men  pro- 
fessedly actuated  by  the  mind  and  spirit  of  Christ, 
as  they  hold  the  same  views  of  doctrine  and  church 
order,  as  they  have  had  very  much  the  same  religious 
and  social  training,  they  will  probably  adopt  the  same 
views  of  missionary  procedure ; and  thus  the  super- 
vision of  the  work  of  missions  will  usually  be  a 
matter  of  quiet  and  pleasant  duty,  involving  no  un- 
reasonable exactions  on  the  one  side,  and  complied 
with  on  the  other  in  that  spirit  of  good  regard  for 
order  which  characterizes  our  body.  And  on  both 
sides,  it  is  of  course  well  understood  that  the  General 
Assembly  is  a common  appellate  and  controlling  body 
— the  true  Board  of  Missions  in  our  Church,  whose 
decisions  of  all  questions  are  open,  conformed  to 
well-known  rules,  and  as  likely  to  be  fair  and  correct 
as  could  be  expected  in  view  of  the  imperfection  of 
all  things  in  this  world.  This  statement  of  the  sub- 
ject will  tend  to  show  that  the  relations  of  the  mis- 
sionaries and  the  mission  churches  to  the  Church  at 


250 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


home,  will  in  most  cases  be  suc-h  as  will  prove  accept- 
able to  all  parties.  Excepted  cases  will  occur,  and 
such  have  occurred,  and  as  extreme  cases  test  the 
principles  involved  in  ordinary  routine,  let  us  glance 
for  a moment  at  one  referred  to  above.  It  was  a 
case  of  scandal.  There  was  no  Presbytery  on  the 
ground  to  deal  with  it  ; for  various  reasons  the  action 
of  the  Presbytery  at  home  could  not  be  had  without 
much  delay.  The  facts  were  placed  before  the  home 
committee  on  testimony  that  could  not  be  reasonably 
doubted  ; but  this  committee,  not  being  an  ecclesias- 
tical body,  could  take  no  steps  of  judicial  process. 
It  could,  however,  protect  the  interests  of  the  cause 
and  the  missionary  funds  of  the  Church,  by  dissolving 
the  relation  of  the  offending  missionary  to  the  Board  ; 
and  this  was  done,  while  the  facts  of  the  case  were 
transmitted  to  his  Presbytery.  It  was  a grave  pro- 
ceeding on  the  part  of  the  committee,  one  not  taken 
without  full  consideration,  and  one  for  which  it  stood 
prepared  to  answer,  if  necessary,  at  the  highest  tribu- 
nal of  the  Church.  The  subsequent  action  of  the 
Presbytery  fully  sustained  that  of  the  committee ; 
but  if  it  had  not,  then  the  case  would  have  neces- 
sarily been  transferred  to  the  decision  of  the  General 
Assembly.  All  this  proves  clearly  that  the  ecclesias- 
tical, and  the  business  or  executive,  supervision  of  the 
missions  are,  1.  Distinct  from  each  other;  2.  Sub- 
stantial and  real  ; 3.  Harmonious  ; or  if  not  in  the 
first  instance  in  agreement,  then  4.  In  the  end  all 
can  be  ordered  aright  by  our  highest  church  au- 
thority. 


SUPERVISION  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS.  251 


We  have  said  nothing  of  the  other  methods  of 
keeping  the  missions  under  proper  supervision,  and 
of  regulating  the  whole  missionary  work,  methods  of 
which  some  profess  to  make  exclusive  use— such  as 
the  appointment  of  men  as  missionaries  who  are  of 
the  right  stamp,  trusting  to  the  piety  of  the  Church, 
depending  on  public  opinion,  relying  on  the  grace  of 
God.  Assuredly,  we  do  not  undervalue  nor  disparage 
any  of  these  things,  when  we  put  honor  on  the  eccle- 
siastical and  executive  arrangements  of  our  body. 
It  is  our  happiness  to  enjoy  all  that  the  most  “ volun- 
tary ” of  our  Christian  brethren  could  claim  in  these 
respects,  and  in  addition  thereto  we  have  the  settled 
and  wise  order  of  our  Church.  But  we  hesitate  not 
to  avow  that  our  chief  trust  for  harmony  and  effi- 
ciency, in  all  our  missionary  methods  and  labors,  in 
the  intercourse  of  missionaries  with  each  other  and 
with  the  executive  committee,  and  in  the  care  of  the 
churches,  is  found  in  the  fulfilment  of  our  Lord’s 
gracious  promise,  “ Lo,  I am  with  you  alway  ”- — a 
promise  given  expressly  to  encourage  the  missionary 
work  of  his  people.  It  is  the  mind  of  Christ  in  his 
servants,  that  lowly  mind  so  wonderful  in  the  Lord 
of  glory,  that  disposition  not  to  please  himself,  that 
humility  and  love  which  led  him  to  wash  his  disciples’ 
feet,  that  devotedness  which  made  him  account  it  as 
his  meat  and  his  drink  to  do  the  will  of  his  heavenly 
Father;  it  is  these  gracious  dispositions,  and  espec- 
ially the  fulfilment  of  our  Lord’s  last  promise  to  his 
disciples,  that  will  best  guard  both  the  missionaries 


252 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


and  their  brethren  at  home  against  occasions  of 
offence,  just  as  it  is  divine  aid  and  power  that  will 
give  sure  success  to  this  work  of  their  hands. 


LX. 

MISSIONARY  SUPERINTENDENTS. 

Several  years  ago  an  intimate  friend  of  a mission- 
ary of  the  Board  applied  to  one  of  its  executive 
officers,  requesting  that  the  missionary  should  be  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  the  mission  with  which  he 
was  connected.  This  application  was  sincerely  made, 
though  probably  without  the  knowledge  of  the  mis- 
sionary, and  it  was  respectfully  declined. 

In  the  theory  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  one 
minister  can  not  be  entrusted  with  the  official  or 
semi-official  oversight  of  other  ministers,  nor  with 
any  control  over  the  churches.  This  superintendence 
belongs  to  the  Presbytery.  In  other  denominations 
different  theories  are  held.  The  Episcopal  Church 
has  its  bishops.  The  Methodist  Church  has,  in  some 
cases,  its  superintendents,  with  functions  superadded 
to  those  of  its  presiding  elders,  and  its  travelling 
bishops — at  least  in  the  American  Methodist  Church 
— of  late  years  visit  its  missions.  The  Independent 
churches  in  theory,  we  believe,  have  their  church  rela- 
tions separate  from  the  missions  and  from  the  native 
churches, but  their  missionaries  are  expected  to  exercise 


MISSIONARY  SUPERINTENDENTS. 


253 


quasi-episcopal  supervision  over  the  latter — perhaps 
informal,  but  we  suppose  real.  To  some  extent  these 
diversities  are  increased  by  considerations  of  race. 
One  of  the  best  English  Episcopal  Missionary  Societies 
seems  to  favor,  at  least  in  India,  native  dioceses  and 
bishops  separate  from  those  of  purely  English  con- 
nection ; two  dioceses  and  two  bishops  might  thus 
occupy  the  same  geographical  district.  Even  among 
Presbyterians  of  our  country  there  is  in  some  cases  a 
disposition  to  separate  the  American  ministers  from 
the  native  church  organization,  mainly,  we  suppose, 
for  reasons  of  race,  including  of  course  its  usual  con- 
comitants, difference  of  language,  of  social  usages,  etc. 
Here  at  home  some  would  organize  separate  Presby- 
teries for  the  white  and  the  colored  churches.  These 
cases  look  as  if  some  of  our  brethren  are  afraid  to 
face  the  practical  results  of  our  own  church  principles. 

The  study  of  church  order,  viewed  in  its  relations 
to  foreign  evangelization,  is  one  of  much  interest  ; 
but  we  do  not  enter  on  it  here.  It  will  be  found,  as 
we  suppose,  that  some  forms  of  Church  organization 
are  better  than  others  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  in 
unevangelized  countries ; but  we  are  glad  to  believe 
that  the  blessing  of  God  is  given  to  all  the  efforts  of 
his  people,  of  whatever  name,  in  making  the  Gos- 
pel known  amongst  men.  This  full  sympathy  with 
our  Christian  brethren  of  other  churches  does  not  lead 
us,  however,  as  the  same  good  feeling  would  not  lead 
them,  to  undervalue  the  points  of  diversity.  And  so 
we  return  to  the  subject  of  this  paper  for  some  brief 
remarks. 


254 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


It  is  not  needful  here  to  defend  the  principle  of 
presbyterial  supervision  of  ministers  and  churches,  as 
distinguished  from  the  supervision  of  individuals,  by 
whatever  plausible  name  the  latter  may  be  called.  It 
ought  to  be  enough  to  say  that  the  latter  is  radically 
unpresbyterian.  But  it  may  be  well  to  show  in  a few 
words  how  the  two  methods  may  work  in  actual  life. 
It  may  be  conceded  at  once  that  “ the  one-man 
power  ” has  certain  advantages  in  the  promptness  or 
celerity  of  its  movement,  and  usually  its  advocates 
make  a great  deal  of  the  progress  thereby  achieved. 
It  may  also  be  conceded  that  an  individual  bishop  or 
semi-bishop,  of  attractive  personal  qualities,  may  gain 
influence,  and  so  accomplish  results  at  first  which  the 
larger  body  of  good  men  in  Presbytery  might  not  so 
readily  secure.  Yet  haste  is  not  always  speed.  It  is 
often  marked  by  mistakes  and  blunders.  First  im- 
pressions, moreover,  proverbially  need  revision.  Be- 
sides, the  work  of  one  man  is  likely  to  be  transient, 
like  his  own  life.  And  it  may  be  limited  for  want  of 
the  right  men  to  carry  it  forward  ; such  men,  willing 
to  be  superintended  by  an  individual,  may  be  hard  to 
find.  Thus  far  the  case  of  an  attractive,  magnetic 
superintendent  has  been  presupposed.  But  the  super- 
intendent may  be  a man  of  little  judgment,  however 
great  his  zeal  ; or  of  poor  insight  as  to  men,  however 
“ popular  ” his  gifts ; or  of  large  self-confidence  and 
of  no  disinterested  aims,  however  untiring  his  indus- 
try. The  history  of  matters  recently  in  great  diffi- 
culty under  an  English  bishop  in  India  is  monitory. 
All  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  the  superintendent 


MISSIONAR  Y SUPERINTENDENTS. 


255 


may  therefore  be  subject  to  considerable  abatement, 
and  may  often  do  more  harm  than  good. 

• Even  when  such  drawbacks  do  not  mark  the  super- 
intendent’s course,  and  when  only  modest  men  of  real 
merit  are  employed  in  this  non-scriptural  office,  their 
work  is  not  only  open  to  the  objection  of  its  not 
being  in  the  line  of  our  church  order,  narrow,  and 
liable  to  be  attended  with  friction,  while  in  many  re- 
spects irresponsible,  but  it  is  mainly  a work  individual 
in  its  movement,  and  one  that  lacks  the  power  and 
permanence  of  such  associated  labor  as  is  secured  by 
the  fellowship  of  co-presbyters.  These  should  be  as- 
sociated in  Presbyteries  composed  of  not  too  many 
members.  Oversized  Presbyteries  are  apt  to  lose 
their  power,  and  are  usually  governed  by  a few  men, 
whose  action  too  readily  takes  on  the  type  of  personal 
superintendency. 

Give  us  the  apparently  slow  work  of  a moderate- 
sized Presbyter>T ; if  indeed  slower  for  a time,  yet 
deeper  and  more  stable,  one  that  unites  all  forces, 
moves  with  divinely  organized  direction  and  energy, 
makes  few  mistakes,  remains  a permanent  power,  and 
full  of  blessing  to  ministers  and  churches.  In  our 
foreign  work  especially  it  is  of  great  moment  that  all 
its  ministerial  agencies  should  be  in  harmony  with  our 
church  principles,  and  with  the  uniform  practice  of 
former  years. 


256 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


LX  I. 

TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION  OF  MISSIONARIES. 

The  idea  of  giving  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen  is 
from  Heaven,  inspired  in  the  hearts  of  men  by 
Divine  grace.  In  its  development,  like  most  things 
that  endure,  this  idea  takes  the  form  of  growth  ; it  is 
not  like  a house  built,  or  a machine  made,  but  a seed 
planted,  which  springs  up  and  grows.  As  a growth, 
its  progress  will  be  varied  and  subject  to  modifying 
causes  ; so  a plant  is  affected  by  soil,  climate,  and 
culture.  The  growth  of  the  idea  of  missions  differs 
in  each  denomination  of  Christians,  but  all  Protestant 
churches  agree  in  their  view  of  the  object  of  the 
missionary  enterprise.  Their  differing  means  of  pro- 
moting this  object  depend  on  their  doctrinal  belief, 
and  their  opinions  concerning  church  government  and 
order,  perhaps  also  on  their  national  customs,  yet  this 
diversity  is  not  such  as  to  discredit  the  divine  origin 
of  their  work,  nor  to  take  aught  from  the  idea  of 
growth,  each  after  its  kind.  Passing  all  but  the 
Presbyterian  type  of  this  idea,  we  recognize  this  as 
developed  in  beautiful  accord  with  the  general  church 
system  bearing  this  venerable  name  ; and  in  this  sys- 
tem no  feature  is  more  distinctive  than  that  which 
relates  to  the  training  of  the  Gospel  ministry,  nor 
anything  more  important  than  what  concerns  the 
efficiency  of  this  ministry  in  actual  service.  In 
both  we  make  most  of  the  Divine  element,  be 
it  that  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  . his  personal  work 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


257 


of  grace  in  the  souls  of  men,  or  that  of  inspired 
truth  as  set  forth  in  Holy  Scripture,  or  that  of  provi- 
dential ordering  which  directs  all  things.  But  coupled 
with  reverence  for  God  in  the  whole  provision  of  the 
ministry,  we  also  recognize  the  duty  of  the  Church, 
within  certain  limits,  to  see  that  her  ministers  are  well 
prepared  for  their  work,  and  well  employed  in  it. 
The  Church  acts  on  this  view  in  her  educational  and 
presbyterial  systems,  and  in  her  supervision  of  her 
ministers.  In  all  that  relates  to  this  subject  at  home, 
matters  are,  in  a good  degree,  settled  in  the  judgment 
of  the  Church.  As  to  its  work  abroad,  which  is  of 
but  recent  date,  and  which  is  performed  under  such 
widely  varying  conditions,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
somewhat  differing  opinions  should  obtain.  Without 
attempting  to  describe  these  varying  judgments,  or  to 
discuss  many  of  them,  we  give  a few  pages  to  the 
subject  of  the  training  and  the  distribution  of  mis- 
sionaries. 

Rightly  or  wrongly,  most  of  the  Protestant  churches 
rely  on  volunteers  for  missionaries,  and  this  fact  must 
be  kept  in  view  as  preliminary  to  the  consideration  of 
their  proper  training,  if  not  also  of  their  best  dis- 
tribution. Even  in  the  few  instances  in  which  train- 
ing-schools for  missionaries  have  been  instituted,  the 
young  men  thus  educated  are  only  such  as  have 
offered  themselves  for  the  work.  Certain  advantages 
are  no  doubt  secured  on  this  volunteer  system,  with 
some  drawbacks  also,  and  with  the  loss  of  important 
qualifications  that  would  be  obtained  on  the  plan  of 
having  missionaries  called  directly  by  the  Church  to 


258 


MISSIONARY  PARERS. 


engage  in  this  service.  The  day  will  come,  perhaps, 
when  this  plan  can  be  adopted  ; in  the  meantime,  we 
take  the  case  as  it  stands,  and  leave  in  abeyance  the 
whole  question  of  a call  to  missionary  life.  On  any 
theory  of  this  call,  excepting  one,  some  degree  of  train- 
ing for  future  labor  would  be  considered  useful.  If 
missionaries  ought  to  be  those  only  who  need  no  other 
qualification  than  the  consciousness  of  an  inward  call 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  serve  Christ  among  the  heathen, 
the  training  of  the  schools  and  the  experience  of 
years  may  be  dispensed  with.  We  find  no  warrant 
for  this  opinion  in  the  Scriptures,  and  little  counte- 
nance to  it  in  practice ; it  is  only  too  easy  for  some 
men  to  mistake  their  own  impulses,  and  to  misjudge 
the  circumstances  of  their  lives,  so  as  to  fancy  that 
they  should  go  out  as  missionaries.  As  an  example, 
one  out  of  several,  we  knew  a man  who  was  over 
forty  years  of  age,  having  a wife  and  six  children, 
with  no  education  beyond  the  simplest  rudiments, 
without  clear  religious  views,  but  possessing  energy 
in  more  than  ordinary  degree,  who  left  his  home  in 
the  interior  and  came  with  his  family  to  one  of  our 
seaport  cities,  under  the  sincere  conviction  that  it  was 
his  duty  to  go,  without  delay,  as  a missionary  to 
China.  His  application  to  be  sent  out  having  been 
declined  by  more  than  one  missionary  society,  he  then 
engaged  in  some  kind  of  work  to  earn  a support  for 
himself  and  family,  and  died  after  a few  years, — -his 
completed  course  showing  that  he  was  not  called  to 
tje  a foreign  missionary  by  the  unerring  Spirit. 
While  such  mistakes  may  be  made,  we  so  highly  rev- 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


259 


erence  the  sovereign  and  gracious  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  hearts  of  men,  that  we  should  expect  to 
see  happy  results  from  the  missionary  labors  of  many 
thus  taught,  even  though  they  might  not  be  learned 
in  the  studies  of  the  college  or  the  theological  school ; 
yet  these  good  men  might  expect,  unless  in  extraor- 
dinary instances,  to  have  their  usefulness  increased  by 
proper  training. 

At  the  opposite  extreme,  we  find  those  who  make 
everything  of  training,  and  little  of  what  we  under- 
stand by  the  call  of  the  Spirit.  Missionaries  are  to 
be  made  as  lawyers  or  doctors  are  made,  they  are  to 
be  educated  for  the  work.  The  often-lauded  school 
at  Rome  for  the  education  of  missionaries,  gives  us  a 
striking  example  of  this  idea.  Young  men  are 
brought  from  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  the  islands 
of  the  sea,  to  this  school  to  be  trained,  and  then 
they  are  sent  back  to  their  own  country  as  Romish 
priests.  Possessing  the  vernacular  language  as  their 
mother  tongue,  and  taught  in  the  wisdom  of  the 
Romans,  they  are  sometimes  held  up  for  our  imitation. 
We  often  hear  the  question,  why  do  not  our  Mission- 
ary Boards  bring  some  of  the  converts  in  India  or 
China  to  this  country,  to  be  educated,  and  then  to  be 
sent  back  as  missionaries?  The  question  is  a fair  one, 
and  the  school  at  Rome  is  in  some  respects  its 
answer.  Were  it  our  object  to  train  up  a class  of 
ritualists,  missionaries  whose  main  duties  would  be 
the  performance  of  ceremonies,  men  whose  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures  and  whose  experience  of  Divine 
grace  counted  for  little,  agents  whose  service  was  to 


260 


MISSIONAR  V PAPERS. 


be  regulated  by  their  allegiance  to  the  vicar  of  Rome 
rather  than  to  our  blessed  Lord,  then  might  we  insti- 
tute a school  of  this  kind  ; but  for  such  training  as 
our  missionaries  need,  there  is  a more  excellent  way, 
— as  we  shall  see  further  on. 

Another  phase  of  missionary  education  is  repre- 
sented by  the  excellent  Protestant  schools  at  Basle 
and  Islington,  in  which  young  men  are  in  preparation 
for  the  foreign  field  through  the  whole  course  of 
study,  usually  extending  over  several  years, — at  Basle 
occupying  six  years.  In  these  schools,  a good  degree 
of  practical  education  is  given  ; they  have  sent  forth 
many  valuable  missionaries,  some  of  whom  have  been 
men  of  superior  scholarship.  Such  schools  may  be 
expedient  in  countries  where  young  men  of  limited 
pecuniary  means  can  not  readily  gain  access  to  the 
colleges  and  universities ; but  in  our  country  no  diffi- 
culty of  this  kind  stands  in  the  way,  and  we  should 
greatly  deprecate  the  training  of  missionaries  as  a 
class  separate  from  most  ministers  of  the  Church. 
They  would  come  to  be  regarded  as  of  a less  honored 
type,  and  would  lose  the  sympathy  of  many  Christian 
people,  while  ministers  at  home  would  cease  to  feel 
the  incentives  to  the  duty  of  sustaining  the  work  of 
missions,  which  grow  out  of  their  common  education 
with  their  brethren  in  the  foreign  field.  The  result 
would  be  a diminished  number  of  missionaries,  and 
very  likely  the  sending  out  of  inferior  men. 

The  true  idea  is  that  missionaries  should  be  edu- 
cated like  other  ministers,  so  far  as  college  and  semi- 
nary studies  are  concerned.  Their  support  during 


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261 


their  course  of  studies  should  be  provided  in  the  same 
way,  either  by  themselves  and  their  friends,  or  by  the 
aid  of  our  Educational  Boards.  In  all  respects  they 
ought  to  be  men  of  the  same  character,  attainments, 
and  social  position  with  their  clerical  brethren  at 
home,  equally  qualified  for  their  work,  enjoying  the 
esteem  of  their  classmates  who  are  pastors  of  the 
churches,  and  having  the  confidence  and  sympathy  of 
the  churches  themselves.  Their  missionary  work,  in 
all  its  varied  duties,  will  then  be  fulfilled  with  ability 
corresponding  to  the  average  efficiency  of  ministers 
at  home ; and  a kind  consideration  will  be  given  by 
the  Church  to  the  claims  of  superannuated  or  infirm 
missionaries,  their  widows,  and  children,  such  as  could 
be  expected  only  for  those  who  stood  on  the  same 
footing  with  similar  classes  in  this  country. 

Our  educational  system  sends  forth  men  of  varied 
gifts,  some  of  them  likely  to  be  far  more  useful  than 
others ; we  covet  for  missionary  service  men  eminent 
in  grace  and  also  in  gifts ; in  no  instance  should  men 
of  qualifications  below  the  average  be  sent,  while 
there  is  need  of  talents  of  the  highest  order.  The 
idea  that  any  good  man  will  answer  for  the  heathen 
can  hardly  be  too  severely  reprobated.  To  lay  the 
foundations  of  the  Church  in  Africa  or  Siam  requires 
master  workmen.  To  become  scholars  of  eminence 
in  the  languages  of  China  or  India  is  no  task  for  men 
of  feeble  parts,  and  no  man  should  be  sent  forth,  or 
should  continue  in  the  missionary  field,  who  can  not 
in  a few  years  become  well  acquainted  with  the  ver- 
nacular language.  To  deal  wisely  with  questions  that 


262 


M. I S SION  A R V PAPERS. 


spring  up  calls  for  mature  general  scholarship,  insight 
into  the  motives  of  action,  perception  of  the  conse- 
quences, near  and  remote,  of  measures  presented  for 
one’s  approval ; while  to  sway  the  minds  of  men 
needs  in  every  nation  very  much  the  same  high  order 
of  mental  and  moral  power.  It  is  Divine  grace,  how- 
ever, which  chiefly  qualifies  men  for  usefulness,  and 
we  covet  most  in  missionaries  earnest  love  and  faith, 
manifested  in  humble,  patient,  unceasing  labors  for 
Christ  and  his  kingdom.  And  for  acquiring  these 
qualifications  of  usefulness,  our  Church  arrangements 
as  now  existing  furnish  admirable  provision. 

A Chair  of  instruction  in  missions  in  our  theologi- 
cal schools  has  been  advocated.  More  than  thirty 
years  ago  something  of  this  kind  was  under  the  con- 
sideration of  our  General  Assembly.  The  Free 
Church  of  Scotland  has  lately  [1867]  adopted  this 
measure.  Something,  indeed  much,  may  be  conceded 
as  of  value  in  an  arrangement  of  studies  in  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  which  would  furnish  lectures,  in- 
formation, and  counsel  concerning  missions, — having 
reference  to  the  wonderful  openings  for  the  spread  of 
the  Gospel  in  our  day,  and  also  to  the  diversified  nat- 
ure of  modern  evangelistic  efforts.  It  were  easy, 
however,  to  expect  too  much  from  a professorship  of 
this  kind.  No  one  man  could  give  lessons,  for  in- 
stance, in  all  the  languages  spoken  in  our  missions  ; 
nor  could  he  always  impart  the  counsel  which  young 
men  need  as  to  particular  fields  of  labor,  departments 
of  work,  adaptation  of  health  to  climate,  and  similar 
practical  matters,  some  of  which  vary  every  year  in 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


263 


their  relation  to  different  countries ; we  refer  to  such 
cases  as  often  call  for  the  best  consideration  of  our 
secretaries  of  foreign  missions.  If  the  missionary 
professor  were  expected,  moreover,  to  spend  a part  of 
his  time  among  the  churches,  seeking  to  foster  an 
interest  in  his  great  theme,  he  would  find  it  difficult 
in  our  widely  extended  country  to  engage  in  this  ser- 
vice without  neglecting  the  duties  of  the  class-room 
and  the  preparation  required  for  these  duties.  We 
should  think  the  German  idea  of  Professor  Extraor- 
dinary preferable  in  some  respects,  as  opening  the 
way  for  the  services  of  returned  missionaries  in  lect- 
ures on  their  respective  fields  of  labor.  It  might  be 
invidious  to  select  men  fitted  to  render  the  best  ser- 
vice, but  if  men  like  Lowrie,  Culbertson,  and  Fuller- 
ton-— not  to  speak  of  any  but  missionaries  who  have 
finished  their  course, — could  be  employed  to  give  sev- 
eral lectures,  each  on  his  own  field  of  labor,  its  people, 
their  language,  religion,  the  work  of  missions  among 
them,— spending  a few  weeks  at  each  of  our  Theo- 
logical Seminaries,  the  result  might  be  happy.  There 
may  be  objections  even  to  a modified  arrangement  of 
this  kind,  and  at  any  rate  its  practical  details  would 
require  careful  consideration  and  adjustment.  The 
working  of  the  Scotch  plan  will  be  watched  with  in- 
terest. In  a small  old  settled  country  like  Scotland, 
among  a homogeneous  people,  in  churches  all  com- 
pletely moulded  by  the  Westminster  type  of  theology, 
a missionary  professor  of  eminent  talents  and  surpass- 
ing eloquence,  such  a man  as  the  venerable  missionary 
at  whose  instance  this  Chair  has  been  founded,  could 


264 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


exert  a happy  influence  on  behalf  of  the  cause  of 
missions  in  all  parts  of  the  land,  as  well  as  among  all 
the  sons  of  the  prophets.  It  is  well  that  the  experi- 
ment is  to  be  made  under  such  favorable  conditions. 
If  it  is  found  to  work  well  there,  the  churches  of  other 
countries  may  inquire  into  its  adaptation  to  their  cir- 
cumstances. [It  is  now  understood  that  the  expecta- 
tions at  first  indulged  as  to  the  usefulness  of  this 
Chair  have  not  been  fulfilled.  It  may  still  be  of  great 
service  in  other  respects,  1880].  In  the  meantime  the 
missionary  training  of  our  candidates  for  the  ministry 
is  in  good  hands,  and  rests  on  correct  ideas.  The 
support  of  the  work  of  missions  is  ona  of  the  duties 
of  all  Christians.  The  teaching  of  the  pulpit,  ex- 
pounding the  word  of  God,  is  the  best  human  agency 
for  leading  Christian  people  to  perform  this  duty. 
To  aid  this  teaching,  our  Theological  Seminaries  are 
founded.  Some  of  their  students  go  abroad,  others 
remain  at  home,  both  serving  the  Lord ; and  both 
need  instruction  while  attending  the  seminary  in  re- 
gard to  the  missionary  aspect  of  their  vocation. 
Each  professor  gives  instruction  concerning  it  in  his 
own  department.  All  the  leading  divisions  of  our 
course  of  theological  study  have  direct  bearings  on 
the  work  of  Christian  missions,  in  its  home  support 
and  its  development  abroad.  It  is  a work  inseparably 
connected  with  right  views  of  Scripture  Exegesis, 
Theological  Doctrine,  Church  History,  Government 
in  the  Church,  Homiletics,  etc. ; and  the  practical 
spirit  of  missions  is  closely  related  to  the  life  of  piety 
in  the  soul,  which  is  fostered  by  the  devotional  ser- 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


265 


vices  and  the  pastoral  influence  of  professors,  so 
greatly  prized  in  our  theological  institutions.  We 
may  rest  therefore  in  the  conclusion,  that  the  ordinary 
training  of  our  ministers  is  the  best  training  of  our 
missionaries.  Even  the  special  provision  of  evangel- 
istic instruction,  if  it  were  deemed  expedient  to  make 
it,  would  inure  almost  equally  to  the  benefit  of  all 
our  ministers ; indeed  its  bearing  on  the  ministry  at 
home  might  be  one  of  its  main  recommendations.  It 
can  not  be  questioned  that  one  of  the  greatest  wants 
of  the  ministry  in  our  time  is  piety  of  the  order 
needed  by  our  foreign  missionaries, — of  the  type  so 
nobly  exemplified  by  all  ministers  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  first  ages  of  the  Christian  Church.  If  a missionary 
professorship  would  aid  in  supplying  this  want,  it 
might  well  be  founded  without  delay. 

Thus  far  we  have  considered  the  training  of  mis- 
sionaries of  our  own  country  ; the  training  of  native 
missionaries  in  all  unevangelized  countries  is  not  less 
essential  to  the  prevalence  of  the  Christian  faith. 
The  idea  that  missionaries  must  be  sent  forth  from 
Christian  countries  in  sufficient  number  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature,  we  apprehend,  is  supported 
neither  by  Apostolic  precedent  nor  by  enlightened 
reason  ; without  the  restoration  of  the  gift  of  tongues 
we  see  not  how  it  would  be  practicable.  In  the  native 
churches  of  every  people  will  be  found  men  that  can 
be  set  apart  to  the  work  of  the  ministry ; and  these 
men  will  possess  superior  advantages  over  foreign 
ministers,  in  their  knowledge  of  the  language,  ideas, 
associations,  usages,  and  way  of  life  of  their  country- 


12 


2 66 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


men,  in  their  living  in  their  own  climate  and  at  small 
pecuniary  expense  ; in  short,  in  their  being  at  home 
among  their  own  people.  Native  ministers  are  now 
pastors  of  churches  or  evangelists  in  China,  Burmah, 
India,  West  and  South  Africa,  Western  Asia,  the 
islands  of  the  seas, — men  eminent  in  piety  and  in  use- 
ful labors  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel.  In  all  un- 
evangelized nations  the  great  want  is  that  of  such 
men,  in  number  equal  to  the  work  of  teaching  every 
creature,  and  in  qualifications  so  far  advanced  as  to 
make  them  capable  of  rightly  dividing  the  Word  of 
God.  Our  missionary  policy  and  plans  should  be  di- 
rected to  the  training  of  these  men,  or  else  our  hopes 
will  inevitably  end  in  disappointment, — their  training, 
not  their  support.  Their  support  is  indeed  a matter 
of  pressing  moment.  It  may  have  in  most  cases  to 
be  provided  at  first  from  abroad,  but  it  should  be  so 
ministered  as  to  be  readily  turned  over  to  the  native 
Christian  community  at  the  earliest  practicable  mo- 
ment ; and  in  the  meantime  the  native  ministers 
should  not  be  encouraged  to  adopt  the  expensive 
ways  of  European  and  American  social  life.  This 
unfits  them  for  intercourse  with  their  own  people,  and 
increases  the  burden  of  the  churches  in  the  support 
of  the  ministry.  Our  remarks  must  be  restricted, 
however,  to  the  training  of  these  native  ministers. 

The  Roman  Church,  as  we  have  seen,  brings  candi- 
dates for  the  priesthood  from  their  native  country  to 
Rome  for  higher  instruction.  Besides  the  objections 
already  suggested  to  this  measure,  these  young  men 
are  likely  to  be  injured  by  acquiring  the  habits  of 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


267 


foreigners ; and  this  difficulty  would  be  increased 
among  Protestant  native  candidates  on  our  views  of 
domestic  life  in  the  ministry,  according  to  which  mar- 
ried men — not  too  early  married — are  as  a rule  to  be 
preferred.  It  would  be  a calamity  if  our  Hindu  or 
Chinese  brethren,  brought  to  our  theological  semina- 
ries to  be  trained  for  the  ministry,  should  return  to 
their  own  country  in  some  respects  denationalized, 
having  learned  to  look  with  contempt  on  the  dress, 
the  table,  and  other  practical  matters  included  in  the 
idea  of  every-day  life  among  their  own  people. 
Especially  would  this  be  a calamity  if  such  natives 
educated  abroad  should  return  to  their  own  country 
with  habits  of  life  which  involved  their  need  of  sal- 
aries that  the  native  churches  could  seldom  give. 
Thereby  a sad  hinderance  would  be  created  to  the 
self-support  of  these  churches.  They  would,  more- 
over, be  likely  to  receive  injury  from  the  excess- 
ive attentions  paid  to  them  at  first,  or  not  less  from 
want  of  judicious  and  kindly  sympathy.  It  is,  how- 
ever, simply  impracticable  to  adopt  a measure  of  this 
kind  on  a large  scale,  both  for  its  heavy  expense  and 
its  severance  of  family  ties ; and  were  it  practicable, 
we  should  still  question  whether  the  education  of 
these  young  men  should  be  conducted  at  all  in  the 
English  or  any  other  foreign  language.  No  more 
useful  native  missionaries  are  to  be  found  than  Karen 
and  Chinese  brethren,  who  are  acquainted  only  with 
their  mother  tongue.  They  should  be  able,  at  least 
many  of  them,  to  use  freely  the  original  languages  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures ; but  while  a knowledge  of  English, 


268 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


French,  or  German,  may  in  some  cases  be  desirable, 
it  is  difficult  to  be  acquired,  and  when  gained  it  is 
attended  with  many  temptations  to  abandon  the  min- 
istry for  secular  employment,  as  more  remunerating. 
The  peculiar  circumstances  of  each  country  and 
people,  however,  should  be  well  considered  in  their 
bearing  on  this  topic ; there  may  be  instances  in 
which  this  knowledge  of  a foreign  language  would  be 
very  useful. 

The  instruction  of  native  ministers  calls  for  no 
remark  in  this  place,  excepting  that  it  should  be 
scriptural,  practical,  and  so  far  complete  as  to  fit 
them  for  usefulness  among  their  own  people.  The 
outline  of  our  theological  course  of  study  will  no 
doubt  be  kept  in  view  by  the  instructors  of  our 
native  missionaries,  to  be  filled  up  as  far  as  circum- 
stances permit,  which  in  many  cases  would  be  only 
in  a very  moderate  degree.  Suitable  text-books 
in  the  vernacular  should  be  prepared  early  for  the 
use  of  these  native  candidates.  So  far  as  the  place 
and  the  instructors  are  concerned,  each  of  two  meth- 
ods has  certain  advantages.  The  native  candidate 
for  the  ministry  may  receive  instruction  from  his 
spiritual  father  at  the  station  where  he  lives,  and 
thus  his  theological  training  will  bear  some  propor- 
tion to  the  qualifications  of  his  teacher,  the  time  at 
his  command,  and  other  circumstances  ; there  is  dan- 
ger lest  it  be  irregular  and  fragmentary,  but  it  may 
possess  a good  degree  of  adaptation  to  practical  use- 
fulness. This  method  might  be  made  in  some  cases 
thoroughly  effective,  and  in  no  case  should  it  be  left 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


269 


out  of  use  whatever  other  plan  may  be  adopted.  It 
is,  as  we  suppose,  virtually  the  method  pursued  by 
the  Great  Teacher  in  the  training  of  the  Apostles. 
In  small  missions,  and  perhaps  in  the  early  stages  of 
every  mission,  it  is  the  only  method  that  can  be 
adopted.  On  the  other  general  plan,  all  the  candi- 
dates in  a certain  district  are  brought  together  and 
form  a theological  class,  under  the  instruction  of  a 
missionary  appointed  for  the  purpose.  A theological 
training  somewhat  systematic  and  complete,  useful 
acquaintance  with  one’s  fellow-laborers,  valuable  in- 
centives to  a life  of  piety  and  of  devoted  labors  for 
Christ,  broader  views  of  their  work  and  their  relations 
to  the  Church  serve  to  recommend  this  method  of 
teaching  our  native  ministers.  Modifications  of  these 
plans  need  not  here  be  considered.  To  reproduce 
our  American  system  of  theological  seminaries  as  a 
part  of  missionary  work  among  the  heathen  can  not 
be  wise.  It  is  too  scholastic.  Its  tendency  is  to 
separate  instructor  and  scholar.  It  lacks  practical 
intercourse  with  the  people.  Its  drift  is  to  make  the 
ministry  a caste.  It  is  not  well  suited  to  the  early 
circumstances  of  the  native  church.  The  well- 
ordered  system  of  Presbytery  as  a form  of  church 
government  is  comprehensive  and  flexible  enough  to 
provide  for  a satisfactory  treatment  of  this  vital  sub- 
ject ; and  every  church  court  on  missionary  ground 
should  give  particular  consideration  to  its  claims. 
Whatever  views  are  held,  let  some  plan  be  intel- 
ligently adopted  and  firmly  carried  into  effect,  in 
complete  distinction  from  the  desultory,  fragment- 
ary, pointless  efforts  which  yield  so  little  fruit. 


27  o 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Closely  connected  with  the  training  of  missionaries 
is  their  distribution,  as  in  an  army  the  proper  disposal 
of  troops  in  the  field  follows  their  drilling  in  the 
camp,  and  is  equally  essential  to  victory.  The  dis- 
tribution of  our  foreign  missionary  force  has  respect 
to  the  countries  to  be  evangelized  and  the  stations 
to  be  occupied.  The  countries  are  marked  out  clearly 
for  the  American  Church.  While  the  field  is  the 
world,  it  is  not  to  all  parts  of  this  vast  field  that  the 
Christians  of  all  countries  should  equally  send  forth 
evangelists,  but  to  such  only  as  the  hand  of  Provi- 
dence may  direct  in  the  case  of  each  denomination. 
No  one  will  question  the  duty  of  our  American 
churches  to  send  the  Gospel  to  the  Indian  tribes,  to 
the  Chinese  emigrants  in  our  Pacific  States,  to  the 
Jews  who  are  our  fellow-citizens,  as  well  as  to  all 
classes  of  unevangelized  people  in  our  country. 
Going  into  the  regions  beyond  our  boundaries,  the 
success  of  our  missions  in  some  of  these  countries,  as 
well  as  the  spiritual  wants  of  their  inhabitants  yet 
unsupplied,  and  the  open  doors  still  unentered,  con- 
stitute a strong  argument  for  the  continued  employ- 
ment of  American  missionaries  in  these  lands ; other- 
wise, in  some  countries,  there  would  be  no  Protestant 
ministers  of  the  Gospel.  Even  from  India,  which 
has  special  claims  on  the  British  churches,  and  where 
there  are  several  hundred  European  and  American 
ordained  missionaries,  and  nearly  as  many  native  or- 
dained ministers,  we  would  withdraw  no  American 
laborer.  The  past  history  of  our  evangelistic  work 
among  the  Hindus,  and  its  present  prospects,  justify 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


271 


our  Missionary  Boards  in  maintaining  the  existing 
staff  of  missionaries  ; and  well  may  we  ask,  what  are 
these  among  a heathen  and  Mohammedan  population 
of  more  than  two  hundred  millions?  If  the  number 
of  our  missionaries  in  Hindustan  may  not  be  largely 
increased,  let  our  plans  be  shaped  in  the  best  way  for 
the  training  and  employment  of  native  missionaries. 
Into  their  hands,  and  into  the  charge  of  our  English, 
Scotch,  and  Irish  brethren,  the  work  of  evangeliza- 
tion in  India  may  still  be  mainly  entrusted. 

In  four  of  the  other  main  fields  of  foreign  missions, 
the  churches  of  our  country  have  been  summoned 
to  enter  by  the  wonderful  events  of  comparatively 
recent  years,  indeed  of  days  hardly  yet  ending — 
South  America,  Africa,  China,  and  Japan.  The  first, 
Mexico  included,  as  a part  of  our  own  continent, 
as  opening  gradually  to  our  missionary  agencies, 
as  related  to  us  by  political  and  commercial  ties 
of  growing  intimacy,  and  as  burdened  by  the  same 
religious  bondage  which  many  seek  to  impose  on  our 
countrymen,  has  certainly  claims  on  our  missionary 
zeal  of  peculiar  and  increasing  force.  Between  West- 
ern Africa  on  the  one  side  and  China  and  Japan  on 
the  other,  our  country  in  its  geographical  position 
stands  as  the  only  Christian  nation,  and  obviously 
sustains  relations  of  peculiar  interest  to  each.  The 
remarkable  orderings  of  Providence,  which  have  con- 
nected Africa  and  her  children  with  our  country, 
and  thus  led  to  such  wonderful  and  even  terrible 
events  in  our  history,  have  yet  a rainbow  aspect 
when  viewed  with  reference  to  our  giving  the  Gospel 


272 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


to  the  African  people.  No  other  race  has  stronger 
claims  on  our  missionary  zeal.  Turning  to  the  East, 
the  great  hive  of  our  race  in  Asia  has  suddenly 
come  near  to  us,  and  has  already  swarmed  into  two 
or  three  of  our  States.  Who  that  has  understand- 
ing of  the  times,  and  that  looks  towards  the  four 
hundred  millions  of  the  Chinese,  can  doubt  that  our 
churches  are  called  to  engage  largely  in  the  work  of 
evangelizing  this  ancient,  sensible,  practical  people. 
The  European  and  American  missionaries  which  the 
latest  reports  enumerate  in  China,  aided  by  some  native 
ministers,  make  but  a small  force,  and  one  that  is  al- 
together inadequate  to  the  work  to  be  done.  Let  it 
be  considered  that  the  call  for  more  men  in  this  mis- 
sionary field  comes  with  a loud  voice  to  our  Ameri- 
can churches.  No  others  are  more  favorably  situated 
for  responding  to  it  ; indeed,  no  others  have  equal 
access  to  this  field  of  missions ; no  others  have  per- 
formed greater  services  preparatory  to  active  labors, 
and  no  others  have  already  enjoyed  more  signal 
proofs  of  the  Divine  blessing  upon  the  work  of  their 
hands.  Manifold  should  our  missionaries  be  increased 
in  the  land  of  Sinim. 

Passing  to  the  stations  to  be  occupied,  we  meet 
with  three  leading  theories.  One  would  make  every 
foreign  missionary  an  itinerant  preacher,  having  some 
convenient  place  as  his  point  of  departure,  or  else 
literally  living  in  tents  all  the  year  ; and  this  idea  is 
held  with  greater  or  less  reference  to  native  assistants. 
Most  would  employ  these  native  helpers,  and  depend 
very  much  on  their  assistance,  but  we  have  known 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


273 


some  who  seemed  to  feel  contented  when  they  had 
preached  a sermon  to  the  ignorant  dwellers  in  a 
heathen  village,  and  were  then  ready  to  shake  off  the 
dust  of  their  feet  as  a testimony  against  them,  under- 
standing in  this  erroneous  way  one  of  the  verses  in 
the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  Matthew.  The  use- 
fulness of  well-planned  and  well-sustained  itinerant 
labors  in  some  heathen  countries  can  not  for  a mo- 
ment be  called  in  question,  but  that  they  should  be 
prosecuted  in  the  case  of  most  missionaries  in  connec- 
tion with  other  and  stationed  work,  will  appear  as  we 
proceed.  A second  and  more  common  plan  is  that  of 
occupying  as  many  stations  as  possible  with  foreign 
laborers,  placing  one  or  preferably  two  at  each.  These 
men  engage  in  preaching  services  held  by  the  wayside, 
and  also  in  churches  or  chapels  at  stated  times ; they 
take  the  charge  of  schools  in  many  cases ; they  go 
out  on  missionary  tours  sometimes ; they  seek  the 
assistance  of  native  teachers  and  preachers ; they  are 
occupied  with  work  for  the  press  ; obviously  much 
good  may  be  done  in  this  way.  Two  or  three  draw- 
backs, however,  are  likely  to  attend  it — the  work 
grows  on  their  hands  beyond  their  ability  to  do  it 
justice  ; their  health  gives  way,  and  it  is  difficult  to 
obtain  relief  or  assistance,  the  missionaries  at  other 
stations  being  equally  overworked  ; and  it  may  be 
questioned  whether  on  this  plan  the  great  element  of 
native  evangelizing  agency  will  be  developed  in  the 
fullest  degree,  inasmuch  as  the  foreign  laborer  often 
can  not  leave  his  station  to  watch  over  and  encourage 
his  native  brethren  at  such  outposts  as  they  should 


274 


MIS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


occupy.  A third  plan  contemplates  the  performance 
of  the  same  kinds  of  work  as  the  second,  but  differs 
from  the  latter  in  placing  a goodly  number  of  mission- 
aries at  a few  well-selected  central  cities  or  towns. 
In  these  the  several  departments  of  missionary  work 
can  be  conducted  with  vigor,  on  some  easily  arrartged 
system  of  division  of  labor.  In  the  event  of  illness 
or  bereavement  among  the  missionaries,  relief  could 
be  given  or  provision  made  for  continuing  the  work, 
by  the  temporary  re-arrangement  of  duties.  What- 
ever labors  were  undertaken  would  be  such  as  the  mis- 
sionaries approved  in  joint  conference,  under  the 
sanction  of  the  Home  Committee,  not,  however,  to 
the  restriction  of  any  one’s  liberty  or  energy  of  action 
in  his  own  department,  but  yet  guarding  against 
the  unwise  attempting  to  do  everything,  which  in 
some  cases  of  isolated  action  ends  only  in  disappoint- 
ment. On  the  other  hand,  all  the  labors  of  the 
brethren,  wisely  proportioned,  carried  forward  with 
mutual  sympathy  and  co-operation,  would  exemplify 
the  power  of  united  action,  on  which  so  much  of  effi- 
ciency and  success  depends.  But  the  main  advantage 
of  this  plan  is  that  it  gives  enlarged  scope  for  the 
employment  of  native  laborers  in  active  missionary 
service.  These  may  be  placed  at  neighboring  towns 
and  villages  and  often  visited  ; without  such  frequent 
intercourse  being  maintained  between  them  and  their 
missionary  friends,  they  are  likely  to  fall  off  in  their 
zeal,  to  give  way  to  temptation,  and  to  disappoint 
many  cherished  hopes  of  their  usefulness.  For  the 
employment  of  an  extensive  and  thorough  system  of 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


2?  5 


native  missionary  agency,  we  apprehend  that  the 
action  of  the  missionary  Presbytery  must  contemplate 
supervision  from  central  stations ; this  supervision 
indeed  is  its  proper  work,  and  in  all  cases  it  should 
be  so  ordered  as  to  prove  a source  of  strength  and 
encouragement  to  the  native  brethren.  The  min- 
isters among  them,  being  themselves  members  of  the 
Presbytery,  would  incur  no  risk  of  being  unfairly 
dealt  with,  and  could  contribute  much  to  the  influence 
of  their  foreign  co-presbyters. 

Our  missionary  plans  should  all  bear  reference  to 
the  best  employment  of  native  agency  ; this  indeed 
should  be  one  of  the  main  ends  of  their  policy.  To 
save  lost  souls  is  the  great  object  of  Christian  mis- 
sions, so  far  as  man  is  concerned,  and  they  are  to  be 
saved  chiefly  by  the  preaching  of  ministers  of  the 
Gospel  who  are  natives  in  each  country.  The  temp- 
tation of  most  foreign  missionaries,  or  at  any  rate 
their  tendency  is  that  of  doing  too  much  of  the  work 
of  evangelization  themselves,  and  connected  with 
this,  their  being  slow  to  transfer  responsible  work  to 
the  hands  of  native  assistants.  In  some  missions 
of  considerable  maturity  there  are  but  few  native 
ministers,  and  still  fewer  native  pastors,  while  there  is 
a large  body  of  native  assistants  of  other  grades.  It 
is  likely  that  most  of  these  assistants  are  not  well 
qualified  to  become  evangelists  or  pastors,  but  our 
plans  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  impart  the  qualifi- 
cations needed,  in  so  far  as  these  can  be  taught  by 
men,  and  when  Divine  grace  has  been  granted  to 
these  “ helpers,”  to  launch  them  forth  on  the  great 


276 


MISSIONARY  PARERS. 


sea  of  native  life.  Let  them  be  taught  like  our 
children  to  walk  alone,  not  always  leaning  on  the  arm 
of  their  missionary  friends,  yet  always  under  their 
kind  and  watchful  eye.  Let  them  be  stationed  in 
neighboring  towns  and  cities,  two  or  three  in  company. 
Let  the  growth  and  expansion  of  the  mission  take 
this  form,  that  of  spreading  in  all  directions  by  the 
out-stationing  of  native  laborers,  rather  than  by  occu- 
pying feebly  numerous  stations  by  foreign  mission- 
aries. Accordingly  we  should  advise  the  grouping  or 
stationing  of  missionaries,  in  fields  which  admit  of 
this  kind  of  centralized  labor,  at  a few  commanding 
centres  of  influence,  all  under  sanction  of  Presbyteries. 
In  China,  one  well-manned  central  station  in  a 
province  would,  in  ordinary  cases,  be  sufficient  for  the 
work  of  each  Missionary  Board.  In  the  case  of  mis- 
sions already  established  on  the  second  general  plan, 
no  immediate  or  radical  change  of  policy  would  be 
expedient ; nothing  must  be  risked  that  we  have 
gained  by  long  years  of  noble  and  patient  labor  ; yet 
the  desired  change  could  still  be  safely  though  grad- 
ually made,  — by  selecting  certain  stations  as  the 
main  stations,  to  be  strongly  manned  by  both  foreign 
and  native  laborers,  and  then  by  having  the  other 
stations,  as  their  foreign  laborers  are  removed  by 
sickness  or  other  causes,  occupied  by  the  best  native 
laborers  available,  to  be  under  the  supervision  of  the 
missionaries  at  the  nearest  main  station.  These  are 
somewhat  matters  of  detail— we  refer  to  them  here 
only  as  connected  with  general  views  of  the  subject  ; 
and  if  this  change  were  made,  it  should  rest  on 


TRAINING  AND  DISTRIBUTION. 


2 77 


general  reasons,  not  on  personal,  local,  or  economical 
considerations,  and  certainly  not  on  the  want  of  mis- 
sionaries, rendering  a measure  of  this  kind  a matter 
of-  necessity.  This  want  is  deeply  to  be  deplored, 
and  it  might  become  so  serious  as  to  be  a good  reason 
for  reconstructing  our  missionary  plans ; but  the  sub- 
ject as  we  here  view  it,  is  one  having  general  and 
broad  bearings.  In  some  countries,  and  among  tribes 
of  small  population,  this  line  of  action  might  be  in- 
expedient, perhaps  impracticable  ; but  in  the  midst 
of  people  whose  number  is  reckoned  by  scores  and 
hundreds  of  millions,  it  would  result  in  our  having 
large,  well-supported  stations  of  foreign  missionaries, 
surrounded  by  an  ever-increasing  number  of  stations 
occupied  by  native  laborers,  into  whose  hands  the 
work  of  evangelizing  their  own  people  would  be 
transferred,  more  and  more. 

Our  plans  may  be  good, — they  ought  to  be  the 
best, — broad,  well-balanced,  far-reaching,  in  some  de- 
gree worthy  of  the  glorious  end  of  the  Church  as  a 
missionary  body.  We  think,  on  the  general  views 
here  presented,  the  work  of  Christian  missions  would 
have  a steady  growth,  sending  its  roots  deep  into  the 
ground,  spreading  widely  its  branches,  and  yielding 
fruit  unto  eternal  life.  Yet  we  must  not  put  our 
trust  in  our  good  methods,  nor  in  our  excellent 
brethren,  nor  in  the  Church  itself,  but  only  in  the 
presence  and  grace  of  him,  who  has  said,  “ Lo,  I am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.” 


278 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


LXII. 

MISSIONARY  PROFESSORSHIPS. 

SOME  of  the  friends  of  missions  have  favored  the 
appointment  of  a missionary  professorship  or  lecture- 
ship, in  order  to  secure  greater  interest  in  the  cause 
of  missions.  A professorship  would  give  its  incum- 
bent a status  not  to  be  enjoyed  by  a lectureship  — a 
place  in  the  faculty,  a permanent  chair,  and  the  in- 
fluence growing  out  of  continued  acquaintance.  A 
lectureship,  especially  if  it  contemplated  itinerant 
service,  visiting  all  the  seminaries,  delivering  some 
lectures  at  each,  would  result  practically  in  a limited 
range  of  study  and  of  topics.  A professorship  would 
seem  to  be  preferable  to  a lectureship. 

Either  would  have  to  contend  with  certain  diffi- 
culties : 

1.  The  limited  time  available.  Even  now  it  is 
difficult  to  secure  time  in  the  theological  seminaries 
for  the  lectures  of  all  the  professors. 

2.  A few  lectures,  all  that  could  be  given,  would 
not  meet  the  requirements  of  the  subject.  The 
cause  of  foreign  missions  is  one  of  many  relations 
and  wide  range.  It  has  a home  side,  with  its  various 
theories  and  its  many  practical  duties.  Its  foreign 
department  embraces  matters  of  varying  interest  in 
every  different  country,  and  such  as  extend  from  the 
corner-stone  to  the  top-stone, — preaching,  education, 
training  native  ministers,  translations,  and  all  the 
work  of  the  press,  organization  of  churches  and  self- 


MISSIONAR  V PROFESSORSHIPS. 


279 


support  of  their  ministers.  These  are  subject  to 
modification  by  peculiarities  of  race,  language,  relig- 
ion, etc.  No  lecturer  for  all  the  seminaries,  no  single 
professor  even  for  each  seminary,  could  easily  do  j ustice 
to  such  a vast  and  varied  work.  A lecture  on  Buddh- 
ism, another  on  Brahmanism,  and  another  on  Mo- 
hammedanism— -all  very  well  in  their  place  — would 
not  begin  to  fulfil  the  demands  of  the  case. 

3.  If  some  measure  of  special  interest  were  awak- 
ened by  a professor  or  a lecturer,  it  would  not  only 
be  of  narrow  range,  as  just  shown,  but  it  would  be 
at  the  risk  of  great  loss  to  the  cause  of  missions. 
The  regular  professors  would  be  likely  to  pass  by 
missionary  topics,  and  leave  them  to  the  missionary 
lecturer.  The  practical  result  would  be  narrow  and 
inadequate  ; the  many-sided  views  of  other  minds 
would  be  seldom  given.  As  the  case  now  stands, 
each  professor  is  expected  to  present  the  evangelistic 
features  of  his  chair — thus  securing  a wide  and  com- 
prehensive treatment  of  the  subject. 

4.  Experience  seems  to  show  that  special  lectures 
on  missions  may  easily  result  in  failure.  On  the  other 
hand,  see  the  influence  exerted  for  this  cause  by  Dr. 
A.  Alexander  and  others,  in  their  usual  course  of  in- 
struction and  example. 

These  are  but  hints ; the  subject  is  referred  to  else- 
where in  these  papers ; it  is  one  which  deserves 
thorough  consideration. 


28o 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


LXIII. 

THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  questions  to  be  solved  in 
the  work  of  Christian  missions  to  the  heathen,  is, 
What  should  be  done  for  the  children  of  the  mission- 
aries? 

This  question  can  arise  only  in  the  missions  of 
Protestant  churches.  The  Roman  Catholic  “ mis- 
sioned,” like  the  clergy  of  that  Church  in  Christian 
countries,  are  “ forbidden  to  marry  ” ; and  a sad 
commentary  on  this  unnatural  and  unchristian  pro- 
hibition might  be  read  at  many  a station  in  heathen 
lands.  The  Protestant  Church  is  in  no  danger  of 
imitating  the  example  of  Rome  in  this  matter. 
Some  advantages  may,  indeed,  be  conceded  to  the 
plan  of  employing  only  unmarried  persons  in  the 
missionary  work;  and  eminent  Protestants  have  advo- 
cated this  plan,  particularly  the  celebrated  mission- 
ary, Schwartz,  whose  views  are  given  by  his  accom- 
plished biographer,  without  material  dissent.*  The 
expense  of  unmarried  missionaries  is  less  ; their  free- 
dom and  range  of  movement  is  greater  ; their  sacri- 
fice of  family  affection,  viewed  with  reference  to  the 
subject  of  this  paper,  has,  of  course,  no  place.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  moral  influence  of  the  missionary, 
in  most  instances,  is  greatly  reduced  ; the  invaluable 
aid  of  Christian  women,  in  their  ordinary  sphere,  is 


* See  Memoirs,  vol.  ii. , pp.  341-345. 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES.  281 

not  given  ; the  example  of  a Christian  family — with 
woman  honored  and  children  under  holy  nurture — is 
all  unseen.  The  great  law  of  our  race  is  everywhere 
in  force  : “ it  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone  ” is 
true  since  the  fall  as  before,  and  true  with  deeper 
meaning  at  a missionary  station  than  in  a Christian 
parish.  Yet  would  we  lay  down  no  Procrustean  rule 
here,  and  if  a man  would  probably  remain  unmarried 
as  a minister  at  home,  we  should  be  glad  to  see  him 
go  unmarried  as  a missionary  — provided  he  were  a 
man  of  firm  and  holy  will.  Many  wise  observers  - 
think  that  ministers  in  this  country  commonly  marry 
too  soon  after  leaving  the  seminary ; it  may  be 
doubted,  at  any  rate,  whether  it  would  not  be  well 
for  some  of  our  missionaries  to  go  single  to  their 
work,  expecting  after  having  learnt  the  language  and 
acquired  some  experience,  to  return  on  a short  visit 
to  their  friends,  with  permission  afterwards  to  “ lead 
about  a sister,  a wife.”  In  some  missionary  fields 
this  course  might  well  be  followed. 

The  question  of  making  some  provision  for  the 
children  of  missionaries  is  one  having  manifold  re- 
lations, some  of  which  are  of  great  delicacy.  In 
general,  we  think  it  wise  for  the  State  and  the 
Church  to  legislate  as  little  as  possible  for  parents  in 
the  training  and  disposal  of  their  children.  We  also 
think  it  wise  for  their  friends  to  help  them  in  these 
responsible  duties,  not  by  taking  their  weighty  charge 
off  their  hands,  but  by  kind  sympathy,  and  by  ob- 
serving with  them  the  leadings  of  Divine  Providence 
as  interpreted  by  the  Word  of  God.  Our  purpose, 


282 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


therefore,  in  this  paper,  is  not  to  recommend  any 
substitute  for  parental  authority  or  duty,  nor  to  ad- 
vocate the  transfer  to  other  parties— whether  to  the 
Church  at  large,  the  Missionary  Boards,  or  personal 
friends — -of  the  duty  which  we  believe  God  has 
placed  primarily  on  parents ; but  rather  to  offer  some 
remarks  which  may  help  to  form  a correct  public 
opinion  on  this  important  subject. 

The  work  of  missions,  in  some  of  its  most  impor- 
tant features,  is  the  common  work  of  the  Church. 
Most  Christians  could  not  take  any  active  part  in  this 
work  but  for  the  agency  of  missionaries ; on  the 
other  hand,  missionaries  commonly  could  not  preach 
Christ  among  the  heathen  but  for  the  pecuniary  sup- 
port of  the  churches  at  home.  There  is  here  a rela- 
tion of  mutual  dependence  in  the  fulfilment  of  a 
sacred  duty.  It  is  not  different  in  nature  from  that 
which  subsists  between  ministers  and  their  congrega- 
tions in  this  country,  but  its  circumstances  in  some 
respects  are  very  different.  In  both  cases,  the  laborer 
is  worthy  of  his  hire,  and  “ they  which  wait  at  the 
altar  are  partakers  with  the  altar.”  The  provision  to 
be  made  for  the  support  of  these  laborers  may  differ 
very  widely  in  different  parts  of  the  great  field,  but 
in  all  places  it  should  be  sufficient  to  free  their  minds 
from  worldly  care,  and  allow  them  to  devote  their 
whole  time  and  strength  to  the  service  of  the  Gospel. 
Hence  this  provision  must  have  respect  to  their 
families.  Their  children  must  be  supported,  and 
should  receive  such  a degree  of  education  as  will  fit 
them  for  the  duties  of  future  life. 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES.  283 


We  ask  not  that  every  minister’s  or  missionary’s 
son  should  be  sent  to  college  and  prepared  for  some 
learned  profession,  or  every  daughter  placed  at  some 
expensive  seminary.  Some  parents  are  unreasonable; 
if  they  were  not  in  the  sacred  office,  their  children 
would  not  in  fact  enjoy  the  advantages  which  are 
sometimes  weakly  claimed  for  them  as  a right.  There 
are  many  ministers,  and  missionaries  too,  whose 
worldly  position  and  comfort  are  immeasurably  greater 
than  they  would  be  in  any  other  calling ; just  as 
there  are  others  who  might  have  been  men  of  prop- 
erty and  distinction  among  their  fellows  in  worldly 
pursuits,  but  who  yet  regret  not  their  sacrifices  for 
Christ’s  sake.  We  plead  for  no  mere  favoritism  to- 
wards the  children  of  either  pastors  or  missionaries  ; 
but  it  seems  to  be  not  unreasonable  that  their  parents 
should  be  able  to  exercise  a discretion  as  to  the  ex- 
tent of  their  education,  not  too  much  fettered  by  a 
narrow  income.  When  health,  talents,  and  disposi- 
tion concur,  the  means  of  gaining  a good  education 
would  be  withholden  at  a loss  to  the  Church  and 
the  world.  And  in  the  case  of  all,  the  advan- 
tages of  common  education  and  Christian  training 
should  be  within  reach.  All  this,  at  the  least,  must 
be  considered  as  implied  in  the  provision  to  be  made 
for  the  children  of  ministers  — whether  they  are 
pastors  or  missionaries.  This,  indeed,  we  suppose  to 
be  the  view  commonly  taken  of  this  matter  in  our 
churches.  The  salaries  of  ministers  are,  or  ought 
to  be,  large  enough  to  cover  this  kind  of  expense. 
Otherwise,  a pastor  is  at  liberty  to  seek  for  a congre- 


284 


MISSI ON  A R V PAPERS . 


gation  able  or  willing  to  give  him  a better  support. 
He  may,  however,  avail  himself  of  means  auxiliary  to 
his  salary, — such  as  cultivating  a small  farm,  teaching 
or  giving  lessons  in  a school,  etc. — in  order  to  pro- 
vide for  the  support  and  education  of  his  family  ; 
though,  in  most  cases,  this  is  done  at  the  expense  of 
the  spiritual  interests  of  his  congregation. 

In  the  case  of  foreign  missionaries,  the  theory  of 
the  Church  on  this  point  is  a good  one.  Provision 
for  their  support  is  made,  on  a moderate  but  suffi- 
cient scale,  varying  according  to  the  expense  of  liv- 
ing in  different  countries,  and  also  according  to  the 
size  and  health  of  different  families.  They  are  not 
expected  to  engage  in  any  occupation  to  increase 
their  pecuniary  support.  To  do  so  would  be  an  im- 
plied breach  of  contract  with  the  churches  in  whose 
service  they  have  been  sent  forth,  and  would  be  a 
sufficient  reason  for  recalling  them  from  the  mission 
work.  It  would  imply  on  their  part  either  such  a 
worldly  spirit,  or  such  a want  of  prudence,  as  would 
unfit  them  for  usefulness,  and  deprive  them  of  the 
confidence  and  sympathy  of  their  brethren  and  the 
churches.  We  are  aware  that  some  of  the  Independ- 
ent missionaries  have  been  sent  to  particular  fields 
upon  only  a partial  salary,  and  with  the  understand- 
ing that  they  were  to  earn  the  rest  of  their  support 
by  their  own  exertions  ; but  neither  in  theory  nor  in 
practice  can  this  method  of  proceeding  be  commended 
to  general  approval.  Commonly  it  is  not  practicable 
for  a foreign  missionary  to  engage  in  such  occupation 
as  would  add  to  his  pecuniary  means.  Some,  how- 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES.  285 


ever,  will  lay  by  money  out  of  almost  any  salary,  and 
others  will  hardly  be  able  to  live  on  the  most  liberal 
salary,  so  that  there  will  be  practical  inequalities 
under  any  system  of  support  ; while  it  may  be  ex- 
pected that  there  will  be  cases  among  foreign  mis- 
sionaries, as  unhappily  among  ministers  at  home,  of 
men  so  keenly  awake  to  the  advantages  of  wealth, 
that  their  distinctive  character  and  title  may  become 
merged  in  that  of  a printer,  a physician,  an  inter- 
preter, or  a charge  d’ affaires— sad  change  ! It  is  not 
for  the  children  of  these  we  write  these  pages. 

The  support  of  missionaries  is  usually,  in  fact,  made 
on  a scale  that  provides  for  their  children  as  well  as 
for  themselves,  so  long  as  the  children  remain  at 
home.  The  Missionary  Societies  in  Great  Britain 
commonly,  it  is  understood,  assign  a fixed  amount, 
irrespective  of  the  size  of  the  family,  and  the  mis- 
sionary defrays  all  or  nearly  all  expenses,  not  strictly 
public,  out  of  his  salary.  The  American  Boards,  we 
believe,  mostly  adopt  what  may  be  called  an  equita- 
ble system — assigning  a salary  to  each  married  mis- 
sionary, (smaller  in  amount  to  one  unmarried),  with  a 
separate  allowance  for  each  child,  and  in  addition 
providing  a house,  necessary  medical  expenses,  and 
expenses  for  travelling  on  missionary  tours  ; making 
in  the  aggregate,  we  presume,  a smaller  sum  than  is 
received  by  the  English  and  Scotch  missionaries  in 
the  same  countries,  though  probably  yielding  as  much 
comfort  to  the  missionary,  and  better  promoting  his 
usefulness  in  the  end.  This,  at  any  rate,  is  our  im- 
pression, which  is  stated  with  diffidence.  The  reason 


286 


MISSIONAR  V PAPERS. 


for  referring  to  this  point  at  all,  is  its  bearing  on  the 
question  under  consideration.  An  ample,  round 
salary  may  enable  a missionary  with  a small  family  to 
meet  all  the  expenses  of  his  children’s  education ; 
and,  if  he  is  prudent,  to  make  some  provision  for  the 
evening  of  life.  We  confess  to  a feeling  of  respect 
for  this  plan,  viewed  under  certain  aspects.  It  has, 
however,  its  other  side ; and,  referring  to  our  present 
topic,  we  think  its  tendency  is  adverse  to  that  feeling 
of  Christian  sympathy  on  the  part  of  the  churches, 
without  which  scholastic  arrangements  will  fail  to 
meet  the  wants  of  the  case.  To  this  point  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  revert  in  another  place.  The  equita- 
ble plan,  as  we  have  termed  it,  makes  no  provision 
for  the  future,  which  is  left  by  faith  to  Providence, 
but  it  admits  of  adaptation  to  the  circumstances  and 
events  of  a missionary’s  life,  to  the  size  of  his  family, 
etc.  It  is  a minor  recommendation  of  it,  that  it 
seems  best  to  husband  the  funds  devoted  by  Chris- 
tians to  the  spread  of  the  Gospel. 

The  real  difficulty  in  the  case  begins,  not  commonly 
while  the  children  are  at  home  with  their  parents, 
but  when  they  are  sent  to  this  country  for  their  edu- 
cation. Greater  expense  is  then  ordinarily  incurred, 
and  arrangements  must  be  made  for  their  best  train- 
ing which  depend  for  success  on  the  co-operation  of 
Christian  friends. 

Here  we  meet,  however,  with  views  which,  if  gen- 
erally adopted,  would  supersede  the  necessity  of  any 
further  consideration  of  the  subject.  Some  regard 
this  separation  of  children  from  their  parents  as  a 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES.  287 


thing  altogether  unjustifiable.  They  object  to  what 
they  call  this  transfer  of  parental  obligations  to  the 
hands  of  strangers.  They  express  their  surprise  that 
any  parents  could  consent  to  send  away  their  young 
and  helpless  offspring  from  their  side,  to  seek  a new 
home  in  a distant  country.  They  regard  this  measure 
as  unnatural  and  unchristian.  These  objections  are 
not  well  founded.  The  conduct  thus  censured  pro- 
ceeds really  from  a depth  of  affectionate  feeling, 
which  only  a parent  in  similar  circumstances  can  ap- 
preciate. Their  deep  concern  as  parents  for  the  high- 
est welfare  of  their  children  is  the  cause  of  missionaries 
consenting  to  this  great  sacrifice.  In  this  respect  they 
do  no  more  than  is  done  every  month  by  merchants, 
officers  in  the  army,  members  of  the  civil  service, 
medical  men,  and  others,  in  India  and  China ; men 
too  seldom  governed  by  religious  views,  but  who, 
from  deep  parental  feeling,  send  their  children  to 
Europe  for  their  education.  The  heart  of  a pious 
parent,  more  deeply  than  any  other,  feels  the  weight 
of  some  of  the  reasons  for  this  separation.  This 
measure,  therefore,  is  neither  unnatural  nor  unchris- 
tian ; indeed,  the  principle  involved  in  these  separa- 
tions is  one  which  is  often  exemplified  ; separations 
between  parents  and  children  are  perhaps  too  common 
here  at  home.  Children  are  sent  to  distant  boarding- 
schools,  or  to  be  trained  for  business  in  places  hun- 
dreds of  miles  away,  whence  they  seldom  or  never 
return  ; or  they  are  given  to  friends  for  adoption.  In 
these  cases  the  good  of  the  child  is  the  ground  of  the 
separation.  For  the  same  reason  our  missionary 


288 


MIS  SI ON  A R V PAPERS. 


brethren  consent  to  the  education  of  their  children  in 
a distant  country.  We  can  see  nothing  wrong  or  un- 
justifiable in  this. 

But  while  the  judgment  may  be  satisfied,  the  heart 
will  often  bleed.  In  no  other  respect  do  we  so  deeply 
sympathize  with  our  missionary  brethren  in  their 
trials  as  in  this  separation  from  their  children.  We 
freely  confess  that  the  bare  thought  of  it  often  un- 
mans us ; what  then  must  the  reality  of  it  be  ? Only 
divine  help,  surely,  could  enable  some  parents  to  con- 
sent to  such  a measure.  “ O,  Saviour,  I do  this  for 
thee ! ” — the  words  of  a missionary  mother  on  the 
shore  of  Burmah,  looking  for  the  last  look  at  her  little 
ones  on  the  ship  that  was  to  bear  them  to  a distant 
country — “ O,  Saviour,  I do  this  for  thee  ! ” have  al- 
ways been  to  us  words  of  the  deepest  and  tenderest 
meaning,  the  language  of  the  true  mother  and  the 
eminent  saint.  How  does  one’s  heart  beat  in  sym- 
pathy with  this  Christian  mother  in  her  great  sacri- 
fice ! Blessed  be  our  Saviour’s  name  ! His  heart 
tenderly  felt  for  his  servant’s  grief,  and  his  grace  was 
her  help  in  the  time  of  need.  We  cite  here  some 
extracts  from  the  letters  of  this  excellent  Christian 
woman  : 

“ Our  children  are  but  another  name  for  self.  You 
are  right  in  supposing  that  I have  many  anxious 
thoughts  about  their  future  lot ; how  many  and  how 

anxious,  no  human  being  can  ever  know From 

experience  and  observation,  my  own  as  well  as  others, 
I am  convinced  that  our  children  can  not  be  properly 
educated  and  fitted  for  the  greatest  usefulness  in  this 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES.  289 


country ; that  I shall  wrong  my  children,  seriously 
wrong  them,  by  suffering  them  to  grow  up,  inhaling, 
day  after  day,  and  year  after  year,  the  fatal  miasma 
with  which  the  whole  moral  atmosphere  of  this  coun- 
try is  so  fearfully  impregnated.  On  this  point  my 
judgment  has  long  been  convinced.  Shall  we,  then, 
go  home  with  our  children,  and  see  them  educated 
under  the  genial  influence  of  a Christian  sky  ? Or 
shall  we  send  them  away,  and  commit  their  best  in- 
terests, for  time  and  for  eternity,  to  stranger  hands, 
who  do  not  and  can  not  feel  a mother’s  responsibility, 
however  much  and  conscientiously  they  may  strive  to 
perform  a mother’s  duties? 

“ As  a general  rule,  I believe  a mother’s  duty  to 
her  children  is  second  only  to  her  duty  to  her  Creator. 
How  far  missionary  mothers  may  be  exempt  from 
this  rule,  it  is  difficult  to  decide.  A mother  who  has 
spent  eight,  ten,  or  twelve  of  her  best  years  among 
heathens  may  be  expected  to  be  well  acquainted  with 
their  language,  manners,  customs,  and  habits  of 
thought  and  feeling.  She  has  proved  herself  their 
friend,  and  gained  their  confidence  and  affection. 
She  is,  as  it  were,  just  prepared  for  extensive  useful- 
ness. At  this  period  shall  she  go  and  leave  them, 
with  none  to  tell  them  of  Him  who  came  to  ransom 
their  souls  from  sin  and  its  penalty  ? Or,  if  another 
is  raised  up  to  fill  her  place,  it  must  be  years — years 
during  which  many  precious  immortals  must  go  down 
to  a dark,  a fearful  eternity,— ere  she  is  prepared  to 
labor  efficiently  among  them. 

“ I see  no  other  way  than  for  each  individual 


290  MIS  SION  A R V PAPERS. 

mother  prayerfully  to  consider  the  subject,  and  let 
her  own  conscience  decide  as  to  her  duty.  As  to  my 
own  feelings  on  the  subject,  after  long,  serious,  and 
prayerful  consideration,  I have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  is  best  to  send  our  eldest  two  to  America  in 
the  course  of  another  year,  should  a good  opportu- 
nity offer This  surely  forms  the  climax  of  a 

missionary’s  sacrifices If  it  were  not  for  the 

consciousness  of  doing  right,  of  being  in  the  path  of 

duty,  I could  not,  no,  I could  not  sustain  it 

Pray  for  me ; pray  for  those  dear  children  who  are  so 
soon  to  be  orphans,  at  an  age,  too,  when  they  most 
need  the  watchful  care  of  parental  affection.  This 
thought  is  at  times  almost  too  much  for  my  aching, 
bursting  heart  to  endure.  Had  not  my  Saviour,  yes, 
and  a compassionate  Saviour,  added  these  two  words, 

‘ and  children,’  to  the  list  of  sacrifices  for  his  sake,  I 
might  think  it  more  than  was  required.”  Again  : 
“ Shall  we  withhold  our  Isaac  ? No  ; may  we  rather, 
strive  to  commit  ourselves  and  our  precious  offspring 
in  faith  to  his  care,  who  has  said,  ‘ Leave  thy  father- 
less children  to  me.’  They  are  in  one  sense  orphans. 
But  if  rendered  so  by  what  we  feel  to  be  obedience 
to  our  heavenly  Father’s  will,  will  he  not  be  to  them 
a father  and  protector  ? Will  he  not  more  than  sup- 
ply the  place  of  the  most  affectionate  earthly  par- 
ents ? ” — Memoir  of  Mrs.  Comstock. 

A missionary  in  China  thus  describes  a similar  trial : 
“ Wednesday,  Afth.- — Remained  on  board  the  Adelaide 
she  being  detained  for  the  want  of  a full  crew 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 


291 


I was  busy  with  fixing  up  the  little  berth  that  was  to 
be  my  poor  boy’s  sleeping  place.  These  details  may 
seem  foolish  and  over-minute  to  those  whose  expe- 
rience of  a voyage  has  been  confined  to  a two  or 
three  weeks’  passage  across  the  Atlantic  in  a well-fur- 
nished packet ; but  to  send  off  half  round  the  world, 
in  a transient  merchant  ship,  all  that  the  heart  holds 
dearest,  is  a very  different  thing.  Although  on  this 
occasion  my  own  share  in  the  general  sorrow  was  the 
least  of  any,  perhaps,  yet  it  was  with  no  common 
tremor  of  heart  that  I sat  and  watched  my  child  sleep- 
ing the  last  sleep  that  I should  watch  over  for  many  a 
month — for  years,  perhaps — perhaps  forever.  Early 
in  the  evening  he  had  crept  into  my  arms  and  gone 
to  sleep  there.  It  was  getting  late  before  I undressed 
him  and  laid  him  down  in  his  berth.  What  prayers 
were  offered  and  what  tears  were  shed  beside  him,  he, 
dear  child,  knew  not ; but  they  are  known  to  the  God 
and  Father  of  us  all,  to  whose  holy  keeping  I com- 
mitted him.” 

One  of  the  Presbyterian  missionaries  in  the  eastern 
Pacific,  says  of  his  children : “ They  can  not  be 
brought  up  in  these  islands,  at  least  for  years.  You 
may  rest  assured  that  we  should  never  think  of  part- 
ing with  our  children,  if  we  did  not  consider  it  an 
imperative  duty.  Of  all  our  trials  in  this  dark  land, 
this  is  the  greatest.” 

Indeed,  so  severe  and  full  of  suffering  is  this  trial 
that  we  need  not  wonder  if  some  missionary  parents 
are  not  equal  to  its  agony.  They  should  have  our 
pity  rather  than  our  censure ; and  we  may  think  of 


292 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


them  as  those  to  whom  our  Saviour’s  words  are  ap- 
plicable, “ All  men  can  not  receive  this  saying 

He  that  is  able  to  receive  it,  let  him  receive  it.” 

Conceding  and  feeling  all  this,  we  yet  consider  it  to 
be  expedient  for  missionaries,  in  some  countries,  to 
send  their  children  to  their  Christian  friends  for  edu- 
cation, and  for  such  future  settlement  in  life  as  Provi- 
dence may  appoint.  The  reasons  are  : 1.  The  great 
difficulty  of  bringing  them  up  in  a Christian  manner 
amongst  a heathen  people.  2.  The  impracticability 
of  obtaining  for  them  such  an  education,  in  some 
heathen  countries,  as  ought  to  satisfy  the  mind  of  a 
Christian  parent.  3.  The  impossibility  in  ordinary 
cases  of  procuring  for  them,  in  a country  like  India, 
for  instance,  such  employment  when  they  reach  adult 
years,  as  would  yield  them  a competent  support. 
Each  of  these  reasons  might  be  largely  dwelt  upon. 
Other  reasons  might  be  stated,  but  they  are  perhaps 
reducible  to  these  three,  which  are  only  too  conclusive 
against  a parent’s  fond  wish  to  keep  his  children  with 
him.  And  if  those  who  have  little  sympathy  with 
the  missionary  cause  still  object  and  say,  that  a parent 
ought  not,  without  the  strongest  reasons,  to  place  his 
family  in  such  circumstances  as  these,  our  reply  is 
obvious.  The  missionary  parent  has  the  strongest 
reasons  for  his  conduct.  He  would  be  in  the  same 
class  with  many  others — merchants,  military  and 
naval  officers,  civilians — if  he  were  led  to  a heathen 
country  only  by  secular  aims,  and  then  were  in- 
fluenced by  mere  parental  feeling;  but  his  position  in 
a heathen  land  must  be  accounted  for  in  a different 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 


293 


way,  and  measures  which  he  is  then  constrained  to 
adopt  for  his  children’s  welfare,  stand  on  holier  ground. 
To  make  our  justification  of  his  conduct  complete, 
we  must  consider  the  main  thing  in  it — the  Christian 
principle  which  underlies  not  only  this,  but  the  whole 
work  of  missions.  It  is  the  love  of  Christ,  constrain- 
ing the  Church  to  obey  his  commandment  and  to  seek 
to  promote  his  glory  in  the  salvation  of  lost  men,  that 
is  the  main-spring  of  the  missionary  enterprise.  This 
it  is  which  leads  men  to  become  missionaries.  It  is 
this  which  enables  them  to  encounter  hardships  and 
practice  self-denial.  This  could  make  them  willing, 
and  has  made  hundreds  ready,  not  to  count  even  their 
own  lives  dear  unto  them,  but  to  press  on  in  the  greatest 
work  on  the  earth,  even  until  the  last  hour  of  life. 
And  where  the  love  of  Christ  is  thus  shed  abroad  in 
the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  there  will  undoubtedly 
be  grace  given,  abundant  to  sustain  the  feeblest 
laborer  under  the  heaviest  trial,  and  glorious  to  re- 
ward every  sacrifice.  He  can  not  fail  to  receive  the 
fulfilment  of  the  Saviour’s  promise  to  those  who 
have  left  all  and  followed  him.  Mark  x.  28-30. 

The  tearful  farewells  at  the  mission  station  have 
been  spoken  ; the  last  kisses  exchanged.  The  little 
travellers,  under  the  charge  of  some  kind  protector — 
perhaps  some  brother-missionary— have  made  their 
long  voyage  ; they  have  landed  on  their  father’s  native 
shores,  where  everything  is  new  and  strange  to  them. 
How  shall  they  be  received  ? Surely  with  the  warm- 
est cordiality  and  the  tenderest  sympathy  by  every 
father  and  every  mother  in  the  Church  of  Christ. 


294 


MISSION AR  V PAPERS. 


What  shall  now  be  done  for  them  ? This  is  the  prac- 
tical question  before  us.  It  is  not  enough  to  feel 
true  sympathy  for  them,  as  lambs  of  Christ’s  flock, 
who  have  been  brought  to  us  in  his  holy  providence 
under  such  peculiar  and  touching  circumstances. 
What  provision  should  be  made  for  their  best  comfort 
and  future  welfare  ? 

Various  things  have  been  spoken  of  in  different 
quarters.  One  of  the  most  obvious  is  a school  for 
this  class  of  children.  To  this  they  could  go  at  once 
upon  their  arrival,  and  there  they  could  remain  under 
kind  and  Christian  instruction  for  several  years.  The 
minds  of  parents  would  be  free  from  anxiety  as  to 
the  immediate  disposal  of  their  children  on  reaching 
this  country ; and  the  difficulty  would  be  avoided  of 
seeking  homes  for  them  in  the  community  at  large. 
The  Church  would  feel  that  some  tangible  and  sub- 
stantial provision  had  been  made  for  those  who  are 
recognized  as  having  claims  for  more  than  mere  sym- 
pathy. This  plan,  moreover,  has  been  adopted  in 
England,  and  is  found  by  experience  to  work  well 
there.  Let  each  missionary  board,  therefore,  estab- 
lish a school  of  this  kind.  All  the  missionaries  might 
not  avail  themselves  of  such  a school,  but  many 
would  be  glad  to  do  so.  The  expense  of  it  might 
be  considerable,  but  would  be  insignificant  in  com- 
parison with  its  object.  This,  we  think,  is  a fair 
representation  of  the  argument  for  a school ; our  wish 
is  to  state  it  in  its  full  strength.  We  have  even  tried 
to  convince  our  own  mind  that  this  measure  would 
be  a good  one. 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 


295 


It  would  be  no  difficult  matter  to  set  a school  of 
this  kind  on  foot.  The  pecuniary  means  for  it  could 
no  doubt  be  obtained.  And  a suitable  superintendent 
might  be  found  among  some  of  the  well-qualified 
brethren  who  have  been  compelled  to  return  home 
by  the  failure  of  their  health.  It  would  be  easy  to 
place  the  children  in  this  school ; but  one  of  the  seri- 
ous considerations  connected  with  it  is  readily  sug- 
gested at  this  point.  It  is  not  wise  to  begin  a meas- 
ure without  looking  to  its  end  ; the  children  could 
be  easily  placed  in  the  school,  but  how  would  they  get 
out  of  it  ? Suppose  them  to  be  entered  at  ten  or 
twelve  years  of  age,  and  carefully  watched  over  and 
instructed  until  they  are  sixteen  or  eighteen,  what 
is  then  to  be  done  ? They  have  been  separated 
from  those  who,  next  to  their  parents,  are  their 
natural  guardians.  They  have  not  been  in  the  way  of 
learning  much  about  openings  for  employment  in 
life,  or  of  making  those  friendships  which  contribute 
so  largely  to  one’s  future  success.  No  instance  is 
known  in  which  boarding-pupils  form  many  ties  with 
the  neighborhood  around  the  school.  Ties  of  youth- 
ful friendship  are  created  mostly  in  the  families  where 
they  are  brought  up,  in  the  congregations  where 
they  worship,  or  in  the  community  where  they  live  ; 
but  missionary  children  in  a separate  school  are  not 
only  far  from  their  own  homes,  but  remote  also  from 
the  friends  of  their  parents,  and  would  form  a little 
community,  almost  a separate  caste  of  their  own. 

We  make  something,  but  not  very  much,  of  what 
is  sometimes  stated  as  an  objection  to  a separate 


296 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


school,  that  the  children  would  bring  to  it  their 
respective  contributions  of  unhappy  influences  from 
their  native  lands,  and  would  thus  injure  each  other — 
one  bringing  a Siamese,  another  a Chinese,  and  a 
third  a Hindu  habit  of  evil,  to  form  a common  stock. 
Those  who  allege  this  forget  that  the  earliest  years 
of  every  child  are  spent  under  a mother’s  influence ; 
and  though  we  have  read  of  an  English  missionary 
mother’s  distress,  on  discovering  that  her  little 
daughter  had  been  taught  by  her  ayah  to  worship  a 
hideous  idol  whenever  she  passed  its  temple  in  her 
morning  walk,  yet  we  believe  that,  in  the  earlier 
years  of  most  children,  the  influence  of  their  parents 
is  altogether  the  most  controlling.  This  accounts 
for  what  we  have  been  most  delighted  to  see,  in,  the 
case  of  several  children  of  missionaries,  that  the  im- 
press of  their  parents,  especially  of  their  mothers, 
was  so  beautifully  marked,  that  their  children  would 
suffer  by  comparison  with  no  children  of  our  acquaint- 
ance, and  were  far  superior  in  correct  and  delicate 
deportment  to  the  children  of  many  Christian  families 
amongst  ourselves.  If,  however,  as  to  some  extent 
might  be  conceded,  faults  and  evil  habits  were  im- 
planted, a school  of  this  kind  would  offer  certain  ad- 
vantages for  their  removal. 

We  therefore  set  this  matter  out  of  view,  and 
admitting  the  excellence  of  the  school,  we  yet  come 
in  a few  years  to  the  termination  of  their  connection 
with  it.  In  some  cases,  through  gifts  and  grace,  our 
young  friends  might  be  encouraged  to  look  forward 
to  a return  to  their  parents  to  join  them  in  their 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES.  297 

great  work — the  daughters  earlier,  the  sons  after  the 
usual  studies — in  their  case  going  from  the  school  to 
a college,  and  thence  to  the  theological  seminary. 
Others  might  possess  talents  worthy  of  culture  for 
professional  life,  though  without  piety,  and  they, 
equally  with  others  still,  who  should  not  be  advised 
“ to  go  through  college,”  would  certainly  find,  we 
apprehend,  great  embarrassment  in  settling  their 
plans  for  future  years,  from  their  isolation  in  this 
missionary  school  during  so  long  a period.  In  the 
case  of  girls,  this  would  be  very  serious.  “ How  shall 
they  leave  the  school  ?”  we  once  asked  a warm  advo- 
cate of  this  plan — a most  liberal  friend  of  missionary 
children.  “ How  shall  they  leave  it  ? ” said  he,  in 
reply;  “why,  just  as  orphan  children  leave  the 
asylum.”  Practically,  we  have  little  doubt,  it  would 
come  to  this,  and  then  the  days  of  such  a school 
would  be  numbered.  Few  missionaries  would  then 
send  their  children  to  it. 

This  suggests  an  objection  already  adverted  to— 
the  caste-like  aspect  of  such  a school.  Its  scholars 
would  be  all  of  one  general  class,  marked  by  its  pe- 
culiar features,  and  but  slightly  connected  with  the 
general  community.  It  is  not  an  advantage,  as  we 
suppose,  to  the  missionary  cause,  that  its  agents 
should  be  fenced  off  from  their  brethren  in  the 
ministry  by  such  marked  boundary  lines  as  some- 
times exist,  implying  that  most  ministers  should 
not  be  missionaries,  and  vice  versa ; in  this  country, 
the  term  missionary,  as  a title  for  a portion  of  our 
ministers — those  whose  support  is  partly  provided  by 

13* 


298 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


other  congregations  than  their  own,  is  an  unfortunate 
word,  which  tends  to  separate  respectable  and  worthy 
ministers  from  the  standing  of  their  brethren  in  the 
eye  of  the  Church,  and  thereby  to  lessen  their  influ- 
ence. We  do  not  like  any  permanent  lines  or  titles 
of  separation  between  our  ministers  which  can  be 
avoided.  If  this  remark  may  not  be  considered  of 
much  weight,  as  applicable  to  missionaries,  its  pro- 
priety will  hardly  be  called  in  question  as  to  their 
children.  It  can  not  be  deemed  desirable  to  have 
them  held  up  always  before  the  public  attention  as  a 
separate  class,  which  would  be  one  result  of  placing 
them  in  a school  of  their  own.  Some  measure  of 
sympathy  might  thereby  be  awakened  for  them  at 
first,  but  not  standing  in  the  usual  bonds  which  unite 
our  children  to  the  churches  and  the  community,  and 
supported  from  the  contributions  of  the  former,  we 
should  greatly  fear  that  they  would  eventually  occupy 
a lower  instead  of  a higher  place  than  that  occupied 
by  other  children. 

Nor  is  this  apprehension  allayed  by  the  experiment 
of  such  schools  in  England  ; indeed,  the  existence 
and  the  success  of  these  schools  may  be  owing  partly 
to  the  existence  of  a feeling  unknown  in  our  churches. 
In  England,  we  have  understood,  missionaries  are  not 
commonly  regarded  as  standing  on  a level  with  the 
regular  ministers  at  home.  It  is  said  to  be  a rare 
thing  for  a “ university-man  ” to  go  as  a missionary. 
One  of  the  missionary  societies  educates  a large 
number  of  its  missionaries  at  a school  of  its  own. 
Some  of  the  missionaries  of  another  missionary  so- 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 


299 


ciety  were  educated  at  a similar  though  smaller  semi- 
nary in  one  of  the  suburbs  of  London.  The  topic 
is  not  a pleasant  one,  nor  will  we  dwell  upon  it.  It  is 
th.e  happiness  of  the  missionary  cause  in  this  country 
that  its  servants  are  men  of  the  same  family  connec- 
tions, social  status,  collegiate  and  seminary  training, 
and  average  degree  of  talent  and  learning,  with  their 
brethren  in  the  ministry ; and  the  minister  here 
would  only  excite  a smile  at  his  vanity  or  a frown  at 
his  presumption,  who  should  speak  of  his  foreign 
brethren  in  terms  of  less  respect  than  he  would  apply 
to  their  classmates  at  home.  Ever  may  this  parity 
continue  ! And  it  ever  will,  if  the  spirit  of  the  Gos- 
pel continues  to  animate  our  churches.  If  our  Epis- 
copal friends  are  right,  and  James  was  bishop  of 
Jerusalem,  even  they  would  not  claim  for  him  a 
higher  estimation  than  for  Paul.  In  the  early  age 
of  the  Church,  missionaries  were  certainly  not  held 
in  less  honor  than  pastors. 

With  this  English  feeling  in  our  view  concerning 
missionaries  themselves,  we  can  readily  see  how  the 
plan  of  a separate  school  for  their  children  would  be 
received  with  favor ; while  the  parents,  most  deeply  con- 
cerned in  the  measure,  would  be  little  likely  to  demur 
to  this  inferior  social  aspect  of  it.  Besides  this,  how- 
ever, there  are  more  tangible  points  of  difference  be- 
tween such  schools  in  England  and  this  country.  In 
either  case  a guardian  is  necessary  for  each  child,  who 
must  receive  the  scholar  on  the  close  of  his  term,  or 
in  the  event  of  his  dismissal  from  school.  The  guar- 
dian would  of  course  be  some  relative  or  personal 


300 


MISSION AR  V PAPERS. 


friend  of  the  missionary,  who,  in  a little  island  like 
Great  Britain,  would  be  within  a few  hours’  commu- 
nication of  the  school,  while  in  this  country  he  might 
be  living  in  Wisconsin  or  Alabama.  In  the  former, 
this  guardian  performs  an  important  service  in  finding 
a suitable  home  for  his  protege  after  leaving  the  school, 
and  in  making  arrangements  for  his  settlement  in  life, 
being  assisted  in  this  by  his  intimate  personal  ac- 
quaintance with  his  ward  ; in  this  country,  we  fear 
this  guardianship,  in  most  cases,  would  be  a merely 
nominal  thing.  The  expense  of  such  a school,  more- 
over, is  a serious  consideration.  It  would  require  a 
full  establishment — buildings,  superintendent,  teach- 
ers, matron,  servants,  food,  fuel,  books,  etc. — and 
would  require  a considerable  number  of  scholars,  in 
order  that  the  expense  of  each  should  not  exceed  the 
cost  of  education  in  many  of  our  approved  schools 
and  colleges.  For  a smaller  sum,  we  think  better 
advantages  can  be  obtained  here  in  a simpler  way. 

One  of  the  greatest  objections  to  this  school-plan 
is,  that  it  is  making  the  provision  for  missionary  chil- 
dren too  purely  a matter  of  scholastic  arrangement. 
It  is  possible  even  for  missionary  parents  to  make  too 
much  of  this  aspect  of  the  matter,  and  to  think  that 
if  they  had  only  money  enough,  it  would  be  easy  to 
provide  for  their  children  ; but  they  should  keep  in 
view  the  peculiarities  of  character  and  the  probabil- 
ities of  future  employment  in  life  of  their  children, 
which  must  materially  modify  their  wishes  and  plans 
in  regard  to  them.  The  Christian  public  here,  how- 
ever, having  no  such  tender  personal  interest  in  them. 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES.  jpi 

or  knowledge  of  them,  may  quite  too  easily  learn  to 
feel  satisfied  with  what  has  been  done,  when  a good 
and  perhaps  costly  public  school  has  been  provided  ; 
.and  the  manifold  other  relations  of  the  subject  may 
too  easily  pass  out  of  sight. 

Dismissing  this  project,  as  not  expedient  in  this 
country,  the  question  recurs — What  shall  be  done  ? 
This  question,  we  believe,  does  not  admit  of  a cate- 
gorical answer.  Indeed,  our  remarks  in  answer  to  it, 
must  necessarily  take  a somewhat  “ point-no-point  ” 
character.  Arrangements  for  the  education  and  set- 
tlement of  children  must  have  respect  to  so  many 
things,  general  and  particular,  that  he  should  not  be 
considered  a wise  man  who  would  undertake  to  speak 
positively  on  the  subject.  The  case  of  each  child 
must  be  viewed  on  all  sides,  in  the  light  not  only  of 
scriptural  principles,  but  of  many  providential  events. 
Remembering  all  this,  we  yet  venture  to  suggest  sev- 
eral things  in  reply. 

Let  us  keep  in  mind  that  the  missionary  himself 
must  take  the  responsibility  of  answering  this  ques- 
tion. His  course  may  be  much  influenced  by  what 
the  churches  may  do,  or  may,  in  his  view,  leave  un- 
done ; but  his  duty  as  a parent  is  to  be  determined, 
in  no  small  degree,  by  his  actual  circumstances  ; and 
these  will  be  found  to  differ  in  the  case  of  each  family. 
There  are  missionaries,  whose  immediate  relatives 
would  afford  homes  for  their  children,  not  only  the 
best,  but  the  only  homes  they  could  be  allowed  to 
have  ; and  this,  in  some  cases,  without  being  willing 
to  receive  any  allowance  from  a missionary  board  for 


302  MISSIONA R V PAPERS. 

their  support.  There  are  others,  whose  private  means 
are  ample  to  defray  the  expenses  of  their  children’s 
education.  There  are  others  still,  whose  relatives  or 
personal  friends  would  gladly  take  the  charge  of  the 
children,  upon  receiving  the  amount  of  the  addi- 
tional expense  thereby  incurred,  without  expecting, 
or  being  willing,  indeed,  to  receive  compensation, 
their  sympathy  and  services  being  such  as  no  money 
could  either  purchase  or  remunerate.  There  are  yet 
others  who,  in  the  ordering  of  Providence,  have  made 
such  acquaintances,  or  by  the  example  of  their  own 
self-denying  and  humble  piety  have  obtained  such  an 
interest  in  the  affections  of  some  religious  people, 
that  their  children  have,  for  their  sakes,  found  homes 
of  the  best  kind  among  families  in  nowise  related  to 
them.  In  such  cases  as  these,  the  duty  of  a mission- 
ary parent  would  seem  to  be  plain  enough.  He  should 
thankfully  avail  himself  of  such  opportunities  of  pro- 
viding for  his  children. 

There  may  be  cases  in  which  children  could  have 
their  home  in  a Christian  family,  at  a moderate  ex- 
pense for  board,  and  be  free  to  attend  schools  as  day- 
pupils,  enjoying  the  usual  instruction.  But  it  is 
among  relatives  and  friends,  not  having  sufficient 
means  of  their  own,  that  most  missionaries  will  prob- 
ably find  homes  for  their  offspring.  So  long  as  our 
missionaries  belong  to  the  same  classes  of  society 
with  their  brethren  in  the  ministry  at  home,  there 
will  be  few  of  them  without  relatives  and  personal 
friends  qualified  to  be  the  best  guardians  of  their 
children ; and  so  long  as  the  missionary  cause  rests 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 


3°3 


on  the  command  and  love  of  Christ,  and  the  self-denial 
of  his  servants,  there  will  commonly  be  found  among 
these  personal  relations  and  friends  those  who  will 
gladly  share  the  burdens  of  the  missionaries  with 
them.  Nor  should  we  think  well  of  any  man  who 
would  pass  by  his  own  kindred,  in  seeking  a home 
for  his  child,  even  though  their  circumstances  might 
not  now  altogether  agree  with  the  social  position  to 
which  he  may  have  risen  ; often  the  best  home  which 
a child  away  from  its  parents  could  find,  would  be 
in  the  family  of  some  plain  farmer,  whose  daily  kind- 
ness and  Christian  nurture  and  example  would  be 
above  all  price.  Indeed  we  could  wish  that  the  old 
Hebrew  usage  were  in  force  in  all  our  families,  at 
home  and  abroad,  that  of  requiring  as  a part  of  the 
training  of  children  the  learning  of  some  useful  in- 
dustrial occupation. 

There  are  other  missionaries,  however,  whose  chil- 
dren are  not  provided  for  in  any  of  the  ways  yet 
suggested.  In  most  cases,  we  suppose,  it  would  be 
practicable  to  secure  homes  for  these  in  respectable 
Christian  families,  and  in  good  boarding-schools  for 
such  as  call  for  superior  educational  advantages. 
Many  of  these  schools  are  under  the  charge  of  relig- 
ious instructors,  who  feel  a deep  interest  in  the  mis- 
sionary work.  Indeed,  we  have  known  quite  a num- 
ber of  children  of  missionaries,  who  have  enjoyed  the 
great  advantages  of  these  schools,  on  terms  so  low  as 
merely  to  defray  actual  expenses,  and  in  some  in- 
stances without  any  charge.  This  is  a method  of  do- 
ing good  that  can  be  confidently  recommended  ; it 


304 


MIS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


imparts  pleasure  and  benefit  to  both  giver  and  re- 
ceiver. Those  who  can  not  themselves  be  mission- 
aries, may  in  this  way  greatly  aid  the  work  of  mis- 
sions, while  the  arrangements  requisite  for  their 
schools  allow  them  to  receive  a new  member  into 
their  household,  often,  with  little  inconvenience.  For 
those  children,  whose  delicate  health,  or  whose  want 
of  talent,  renders  a boarding-schoool  education  unad- 
visable,  no  better  home  could  be  provided  than  might 
be  found  in  many  excellent  families,  at  a moderate 
expense. 

To  defray  the  expense,  when  it  ought  to  be  borne 
by  the  Church,  some  would  raise  a separate  fund,  the 
interest  of  which  could  be  applied  to  this  object. 
This  fund,  under  the  charge  of  the  Missionary  Board, 
would  give  it  liberty  to  provide  for  cases  requiring 
aid,  without  drawing  on  funds  given  for  the  general 
support  of  missionary  work.  Persons  having  property 
to  give  or  to  bequeathe  to  benevolent  purposes,  might 
be  led  to  take  a special  interest  in  a fund  of  this  kind. 
We  need  enter  into  no  discussion  here  of  the  expe- 
diency of  endowments  for  religious  purposes ; the 
common  practice  of  our  churches  sanctions  such  pro- 
vision for  education.  We  have  endowments  for  theo- 
logical seminaries,  colleges,  and  academies,  and  for 
scholarships  in  all  these,  which  are  mostly  the  fruits 
of  Christian  piety.  No  better  object  could  ask  for 
aid  than  the  one  now  under  consideration.  We  fear, 
however,  that  serious  evils  might  easily  connect  them- 
selves with  a fund  of  this  kind  ; and  we  specify,  first, 
its  liability  to  be  too  much  relied  upon  by  mission- 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 


3°5 


aries  and  their  friends  here  ; and,  next,  its  danger  of 
leading  the  churches  to  rest  satisfied  with  having  fur- 
nished the  money  required,  and  overlooking  other 
things  more  important. 

Others  propose  to  endow  scholarships  in  particular 
seminaries  and  colleges,  to  be  available  for  the  chil- 
dren of  missionaries.  In  principle,  this  is  a measure 
of  the  same  kind,  and  it  might  be  attractive  to 
benevolent  persons  who  feel  a special  interest  in  a 
particular  institution.  This,  and  the  plan  of  a fund, 
receive  the  preference  of  some  of  those  to  whose 
judgment  and  missionary  experience,  the  writer  of 
these  remarks  is  accustomed  to  defer  with  the  greatest 
respect.  Nor  in  what  follows  would  he  be  understood 
as  opposing  them. 

The  simplest  way  of  doing  anything  is  commonly 
the  best  way.  It  would  seem  to  answer  well,  to  place 
the  necessary  outlay  for  these  children  among  the 
current  expenses  of  the  missions  to  which  they  be- 
long, which  is  the  plan  heretofore  adopted.  This 
would  be  to  adopt  for  them  here  the  rule,  under  which 
their  expenses  were  defrayed  before  they  left  their 
father’s  house,  and  it  would  be  simply  giving  to  their 
parents  such  a support  as  the  churches  all  recognize 
as  reasonable  and  obligatory. 

Whether,  on  this  plan,  it  is  best  to  assign  a uniform 
and  definite  sum,  and  if  so  what  the  amount  should 
be,  are  questions  to  be  decided  by  experience.  Some 
of  the  Missionary  Boards  in  this  country  have  been 
paying  an  annual  sum,  until  the  children  reach  a cer- 
tain age.  This  sum  might  be  inadequate  to  meet  all 


3°6 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


the  expenses,  in  cases  where  these  must  all  be  de- 
frayed by  parents  having  no  relations  or  friends  able 
or  willing  to  receive  their  children,  and  also  in  cases 
where  missionaries  ought  to  place  them  in  schools  or 
at  college.  In  the  former  instances,  it  would  seem 
but  proper  that  a larger  sum  should  be  allowed ; in 
the  latter,  there  is  room  for  correspondence.  Few 
missionaries  or  pastors  would  claim,  as  a right,  that 
the  Church  should  give  them  such  a salary  as  would 
enable  them  to  send  all  their  children  to  boarding- 
schools  and  colleges,  however  desirable  this  might  be 
in  some  cases  ; and  fewer  still  would  make  the  want 
of  such  a salary  a reason  for  giving  up  the  missionary 
or  pastoral  work.  As  the  case  stands  between  pastors 
and  missionaries,  while  the  former  can  in  various  ways 
save  expense,  and  yet  secure  advantages  for  their 
children,  and  should  not  therefore  complain  if  the 
latter  receive  a larger  support  for  their  families,  placed 
as  they  are  in  such  different  and  greatly  more  trying 
circumstances  ; yet,  on  the  other  hand,  we  would  not 
desire  a wholesale  allowance  to  our  missionary  friends. 
A superior  boarding-school  or  college  education  for 
all  the  children  of  the  family,  would  in  some  instances 
involve  a large  expense ; the  greater  part  of  the  min 
isters  in  this  country  are  quite  unable  to  give  such 
advantages  to  all  their  children,  perhaps  not  to  any 
of  them.  In  adjusting  this  matter,  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  advocate  such  views  as  would  weaken, 
instead  of  deepening,  the  sympathy  that  ought  to 
exist  between  the  churches  and  the  missionaries.  We 
have  always  deprecated  a method  of  discussing  this 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 


307 


subject,  which  would  result  in  placing  whatever  is 
done  on  mercantile  ground — so  much  to  be  paid  for 
so  much  done  or  so  much  suffered. 

Avoiding  this  extreme,  we  yet  can  not  but  recog- 
nize the  claims  of  missionaries  for  their  children  on 
the  judgment  and  the  sympathy  of  the  churches. 
Suitable  provision  ought  to  be  made,  assuredly;  what 
shall  be  considered  suitable,  is  the  question.  We 
would  leave  it  to  the  missionary  to  decide  as' to  this  ; 
but  with  this  proviso,  that  when  his  plans  involved 
large  or  unusual  expense,  the  stewards  of  the  mis- 
sionary funds  of  the  churches  should  be  considered 
free  to  withhold  their  concurrence.  The  result  might 
be  the  withdrawal  of  the  missionary  from  the  field  of 
labor,  following  his  convictions,  whether  right  or 
wrong  ; but  this  would  be  a less  evil  than  a virtually 
irresponsible  use  of  missionary  moneys,  which  would 
soon  end  in  disaster  to  the  work  at  home  and  abroad. 

There  are  certain  advantages  in  having  a uniform 
and  fixed  allowance  for  each  child.  It  incurs  no  risk 
of  complaints  of  partiality,  and  leaves  parents  at 
liberty  to  make  their  own  plans.  It  may  be  the  best 
method,  on  the  whole,  though  it  might  be  expedient 
to  modify  a rule  of  this  kind,  so  far  as  to  admit  of  a 
larger  amount  in  cases  that  seem  to  require  it.  There 
is  need  of  discrimination  in  cases  that  differ. 

One  good  result  may  be  gained  by  the  discussion 
of  this  general  subject,  that  of  turning  the  attention 
of  Christian  families  to  it.  There  must  be  hundreds, 
if  not  thousands,  of  families  in  our  churches  who  each 
could  give  a comfortable  home  to  a missionary  child, 


308 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


and  act  as  parents  in  concurrence  with  its  own  parents 
— thus  securing  for  it  the  best  training  and  education, 
and  making  the  most  suitable  arrangements  for  the 
future  life  of  their  adopted  ward.  We  refer  particu- 
larly to  families  without  children,  or  who  have  lost 
their  own  children,  and  to  families  also  of  good  means 
and  larger  hearts, — though  not  so  much  to  those  who 
possess  large  wealth,  as  to  those  who  have  gained  the 
request  of  Agur.  Their  own  happiness,  especially  in 
the  declining  years  of  life,  would  surely  be  promoted 
in  this  way.  We  could  cite  a signal  example  of  this, 
were  it  allowable  to  refer  publicly  to  friends  in  private 
life,  the  evening  of  whose  days  is  rendered  more 
beautiful  by  the  love  and  reverence  of  two  Christian 
women,  daughters  of  missionaries,  wives  held  in  honor 
by  their  friends,  who  honor  themselves  by  their  grate- 
ful duty  to  their  foster  parents.  The  expense  which 
in  this  way  would  be  saved  to  the  missionary  cause  is 
the  least  recommendation  of  this  plan.  The  benefit 
thereby  conferred  on  its  recipients  is  such  as  can  in 
no  other  way  be  obtained — family  homes  in  this  coun- 
try being  the  great  want  of  missionary  children.  In 
these  they  would  enjoy  the  loving  personal  sympathy, 
guidance,  and  training  which  no  seminary  or  college 
can  impart.  They  would  soon  acquire,  what  all  chil- 
dren need,  the  feeling  of  having  a home.  They  would 
grow  up  with  children  of  their  own  age  in  their 
adopted  or  neighboring  families.  They  would  delight 
in  the  pursuits  and  pleasures  suited  to  their  youthful 
years,  indoors  and  out  of  doors,  in  the  garden  or  the 
field,  in  many  cases.  They  would  become  accustomed 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  MISSIONARIES. 


309 


to  the  varied  occupations  of  life,  acquire  habits  of 
self-support,  and  reach  the  feeling  of  self-reliance, 
which  is  worth  more  than  inherited  treasures.  They 
would  make  personal  acquaintances  of  invaluable 
benefit  to  them  in  coming  years,  under  the  judicious 
and  kind  direction  of  their  foster  parents.  Some  of 
these  advantages  might  be  partly  enjoyed  in  boarding- 
schools  or  colleges,  but  by  no  means  to  the  same  ex- 
tent, nor  at  all  to  the  same  depth  of  home  feeling 
which  would  mark  their  life  in  a Christian  family. 

We  can  not  close  these  remarks  without  expressing 
our  firm  confidence  that  God  will  take  good  care  of 
these  children.  They  are  the  children  of  the  covenant. 
They  were  baptized  among  the  heathen,  early  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  Church  in  lands  now  dark,  first 
fruits  of  a great  harvest  of  children  which  shall  there 
be  dedicated  to  God  in  his  holy  ordinance.  The  God 
of  their  parents  will  be  their  guide  and  portion.  The 
prayers  and  sympathies  of  the  churches  will  accom- 
pany them.  Indeed,  we  believe,  in  nearly  all  cases 
they  have  been  well  cared  for  here.  Some  of  them 
may  be  expected  to  engage  in  missionary  work. 
Other  things  being  equal,  many  of  them  may  well  be 
sent  to  the  foreign  field.  Their  destination  should 
not  be  determined  chiefly  by  family  considerations, 
however,  nor  does  it  seem  wise  to  place  the  members 
of  the  same  family  in  the  same  or  adjoining  stations. 
They  should  be  governed  mainly  by  the  conditions  to 
which  other  missionaries  conform  in  these  respects, 
and  not  be  a separate  class  of  missionaries.  With 
these  things  understood,  the  Church  should  welcome 


3io 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


increasing  numbers  of  the  children  of  missionaries  as 
themfielves  missionaries.  Increasing  numbers  of  them 
may,  indeed,  become  missionaries,  as  the  prayers  of 
the  churches  abound  more  on  their  behalf ; and  those 
of  them  who  are  not  called  to  this  work  will  be  found 
amongst  the  true  friends  of  missions  at  home.  All 
this  we  expect  to  witness  for  our  missionary  brethren 
and  their  children,  because  God  is  a covenant-keeping 
God,  and  because  he  is  the  God  of  Missions. 


LXIV. 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  AND 
FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 

The  connection  of  Princeton  Seminary  with  Foreign 
Missions  has  been  assigned  to  me  for  some  remarks 
[in  April,  1876].  It  is  a subject  of  varied  and  deep 
interest,  but  one  which  can  not  be  fully  discussed  in 
narrow  limits ; and  yet  it  should  receive  attention  in 
any  review  of  the  relations  of  this  Institution  to  the 
Church  and  the  World. 

After  consenting  to  prepare  a paper  on  this  subject, 
I turned  to  the  last  General  Catalogue  of  the  Semi- 
nary for  information.  Among  the  names  of  Directors, 
Trustees,  and  Professors,  I found  many  who  were 
specially  connected  with  the  cause  of  foreign  missions 
as  counsellors,  members  of  missionary  boards  and 
committees,  preachers  of  sermons  in  special  services, 
or  supporters  of  the  work  by  their  liberal  donations. 
It  would  be  a great  pleasure  to  dwell  on  these  revered 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  31 1 


names.  Referring  to  those  only  who  have  finished  their 
course,  we  remember  Drs.  Green,  Alexander,  Miller, 
Breckinridge,  Janeway,  Herron,  Cuyler,  Phillips, 
James  Alexander,  Potts,  Murray,  Krebs,  Dickinson, 
and  others,  standing  among  the  leaders  of  our  Israel, 
who  sustained  close  relations  to  this  cause.  To  know 
these  men  was  to  hold  them  in  high  honor,  and  to 
feel  grateful  that  both  the  Seminary  and  the  cause 
of  missions  had  such  friends.  No  man  stood  higher 
in  the  Church  in  his  generation  than  did  Dr.  Ashbel 
Green  ; and  no  one  more  cordially  welcomed  the 
movement  for  Church  organization  in  missionary 
work.  It  was  touching  to  see  this  eminent  man 
giving  his  latest  days  to  preparing  an  outline  History 
of  Presbyterian  Missions,  describing  the  first  steps  of 
our  people  in  this  work  at  home  and  abroad.  The 
eloquence  and  personal  magnetism  of  John  Breckin- 
ridge, seldom  equalled  in  our  ministry,  were  particu- 
larly enlisted  for  this  cause.  The  admirable  judg- 
ment, fairness,  and  efficiency  of  Dr.  Phillips,  for  many 
years  the  presiding  officer  of  our  missionary  executive, 
contributed  largely  to  the  success  of  all  church  work. 
The  two  senior  Professors,  Drs.  Alexander  and 
Miller,  and  the  venerable  man  who  is  now  senior — 
long  may  he  remain  with  us  ! — were  a host,  unsur- 
passed, unsurpassable.  I shall  have  occasion  to  refer 
to  them  further  on.  Gladly  would  I mention  the  names 
of  others,  especially  of  laymen  who  have  honored  our 
history,  whose  wise  counsels  and  liberal  gifts  im- 
parted breadth  and  power  to  all  our  church  work, 
and  especially  to  the  growth  of  this  Seminary  and  the 


312 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


progress  of  our  missions.  The  firmness  and  yet  the 
modesty  of  these  Christian  gentlemen  gave  a peculiar 
charm  to  their  varied  labor  for  our  beloved  Church 
and  its  institutions  of  learning  and  benevolence. 

Taking  up  now  the  one  hundred  pages  of  the 
General  Catalogue  that  are  filled  with  the  names  and 
notices  of  the  students,  we  find  a remarkable  register. 
It  is  the  record,  in  brief  terms,  of  many  biographies 
and  histories.  It  gives  the  names  of  ministers,  yea,  of 
martyrs  in  some  cases,  of  very  many  indeed  of  whom 
the  world  was  not  worthy.  Amongst  these  names  we 
find  notices  of  a goodly  number  who  became  foreign 
missionaries — 176  if  they  have  been  rightly  counted, 
out  of  3,117,  the  whole  number  of  students  from  1812 
to  1875.  This  can  not  be  regarded  as  a large  number ; 
it  is  less  than  one  in  eighteen,  or  nearly  as  many  as 
from  Andover,  and  rather  more  than  from  other 
Presbyterian  Seminaries,  in  proportion  to  the  whole 
number  of  students,  but  assuredly  not  too  many  for 
the  vast  work  open  to  the  Church  of  Christ  in  foreign 
countries. 

Some  statistics  are  here  given  for  reference  : 


Seminaries. 

Students 

For.  Missiona’es. 

Returned. 

Died. 

Princeton, 

1812-75, 

3,117 

176 

68 

51 

Auburn, 

1821-75, 

1,005 

37 

16 

12 

Alleghany, 

1827-75, 

1,103 

55 

17 

8 

Lane, 

1833-75, 

612 

29 

2 

9 

New  Albany, 

1832-,  \ 

175 

4 

2 

O 

Chicago, 

-1875,  f 

197 

5 

2 

I 

Union,  N.  Y., 

1837-75, 

1,826 

89 

28* 

16* 

Danville, 

1853-75, 

220 

7 

2 

I 

Union,  Va., 

1825-75, 

593 

19 

7 

5 

Columbia, 

1828-75, 

499 

19 

5 

5 

Andover, 

1810-75, 

2,810 

176 

71 

69 

* To  1865. 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  313 


Care  has  been  given  to  the  collection  of  these  sta- 
tistics, and  yet  they  may  not  in  all  cases  be  accurate  ; 
but  it  is  believed  that  they  are  nearly  correct.  It 
may  be  of  some  interest  to  give  also  the  returns  of 
this  Seminary  under  three  periods  viz.,  1812-33, — 853 
students,  44  of  whom  became  missionaries,  or  one  in 
nineteen;  1833-54, — 1,106  students,  69  missionaries, 
or  one  in  sixteen;  1854-75, — 1,158  students,  63  mis- 
sionaries, or  one  in  eighteen.  The  thoughts  which 
these  latter  figures  suggest  need  not  occupy  our  at- 
tention in  this  paper. 

Some  of  the  176  students  had  been  connected  with 
other  Seminaries  during  a part  of  their  theological 
course,  but  most  of  them  pursued  the  usual  full  course 
of  study  here.  They  were  natives  or  residents  of  twenty 
of  our  States,  of  the  British  Isles,  of  the  Continent 
of  Europe,  and  of  several  missionary  countries  ; but 
more  than  one-half  of  them  were  of  the  States  of 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  and  Pennsylvania.  Nineteen 
were  of  the  New  England  States,  mostly  brethren  of 
Congregational  preferences  ; thirty-nine  were  sent  out 
as  missionaries  of  the  American  Board,  and  one  by 
the  Baptist  Board  ; returns  which  may  be  taken  as  a 
proof  the  Catholic  spirit  that  has  always  reigned  in 
this  Seminary. 

It  is  of  considerable  interest  to  notice  the  countries 
and  peoples  to  whose  welfare  these  176  brethren  de- 
voted their  lives.  To  Africa,  and  all  but  two  to 
Western  Africa,  notwithstanding  its  dangerous  cli- 
mate, eighteen  ; China,  thirty-one  ; India,  fifty-one  ; 
the  American  Indians,  twenty-eight ; besides  smaller 
U 


314 


MIS  SION  A R V PAPERS. 


numbers  to  other  countries — Syria,  seven;  Turkey, 
five;  Persia,  two;  Siam,  seven;  Japan,  three;  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  eight,  etc. 

Two  things  in  these  records  may  be  specially  noted. 
One  is  the  number  who  have  returned  to  this  country, 
permanently  withdrawing  from  the  foreign  field — - 
sixty-eight  in  all,  or  more  than  one-third  of  the  whole 
number.  Their  return  may  have  been  caused,  in  some 
exceptional  cases,  by  their  having  mistaken  their  vo- 
cation— no  doubt  with  sincere  convictions,  however  ; 
if  instances  of  this  kind  have  occurred,  it  was  cer- 
tainly best  for  the  interests  of  the  cause  that  they 
should  come  home.  In  most  cases  the  return  of  the 
brethren  was  caused  by  the  failure  of  health,  either 
of  themselves,  or  of  some  member  of  their  families ; 
if  in  some  instances  the  decision  to  return  was 
prematurely  made,  in  others  it  certainly  was  too  long 
deferred.  One  of  them,  when  urged  to  visit  this 
country  for  relief  from  severe  illness,  refused  to  do  so 
until,  to  use  his  own  words,  he  had  “ looked  death  in 
the  face.”  Alas  ! it  was  then  too  late.  The  return  of 
so  many  missionaries  has  resulted  in  cases  not  a few, 
as  a compensation  for  disappointed  hopes  abroad,  in 
giving  faithful  laborers  to  the  field  at  home. 

The  other  fact  that  arrests  attention  refers  to  the 
number  who  have  died,  fifty-one,  or  more  than  one- 
fourth  of  the  whole  number.  It  is  remarkable,  and 
perhaps  not  in  agreement  with  the  common  opinion, 
that  the  number  of  deaths  in  missionary  ranks  is  rela- 
tively somewhat  less  than  in  the  general  ranks  of  our 
ministry.  And  the  proportion  has  considerably  de- 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  315 


creased  in  later  years.  This  is  particularly  true  of 
those  who  have  gone  to  Western  Africa,  and  this  favor- 
able result  may  be  attributed  largely  to  two  causes — - 
greater  care  in  the  appointment  of  missionaries  suited 
to  the  climate,  and  better  provision  for  health  at  their 
stations. 

The  inspection  of  these  notices  in  the  Catalogue 
brings  to  view  the  remarkable  fact  that  many  classes 
of  students  have  no  representatives  in  foreign  mis- 
sionary service.  Column  after  column  may  be  turned 
over  without  finding  the  name  of  a foreign  missionary ; 
on  the  other  hand,  some  classes  have  sent  forth  many 
of  their  best  men.  It  may  not  be  easy  to  account 
for  this  difference.  The  Missionary  Boards  may  not 
have  had  funds  to  send  out  some  from  the  non-repre- 
sented  classes.  The  piety  of  the  Church  may  have 
fallen  below  the  proper  standard,  and  the  powers  of 
the  world  to  come  may  not  have  been  deeply  felt,  so 
that  an  influence  not  favorable  to  self-denying,  earnest 
service  may  have  weighted  the  rising  consecration  of 
too  many  of  the  candidates  for  the  ministry.  The 
brethren  themselves  may  not  have  rightly  considered 
the  claims  of  this  cause.  The  leadings  of  Providence 
may  have  conducted  them  to  the  work  in  this  coun- 
try. All  that  can  be  asked  of  brethren  who  are  pre- 
paring for  a ministry,  whose  great  commission  includes 
the  world,  is  that  they  should  earnestly  seek  divine 
direction,  holding  themselves  willing  to  go  anywhere 
if  the  Lord  calls  them,  and  not  taking  it  for  granted 
that  they  are  to  remain  at  home.  This  has  been  the 
doctrine  taught  from  the  beginning  in  this  Seminary, 


3i6 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


and  under  its  influence  we  have  had  so  many  mission- 
aries, as  well  at  home  as  abroad  ; and  in  many  in- 
stances, undoubtedly,  men  as  devoted  to  foreign  mis- 
sions as  can  be  found  in  Africa  or  China,  have  been 
led  by  the  hand  of  divine  sovereignty  to  stations  in 
the  vineyard  that  are  not  on  the  list  of  any  Mission- 
ary Board — Home  or->Foreign.  Perhaps  it  is  admis- 
sible to  refer  here  to  the  fact  that  six  of  the  alumni 
have  been  called  to  act  as  Secretaries  of  Foreign 
Missionary  Boards — in  all  cases  without  themselves 
seeking  these  posts,  as  they  surely  would  not  if  be- 
forehand they  could  know  fully  the  difficult  work 
required  at  their  hands.  Of  these  six  four  were 
pastors  ; and  of  three  returned  missionaries,  two  were 
also  pastors.  In  the  former  class  was  Dr.  Elisha  P. 
Swift,  the  founder  more  than  any  other  man  of  our 
Church  movement  in  foreign  missions,  a man  of  un- 
affected and  deep  piety,  whose  noble  gifts  were 
consecrated  to  this  cause  with  singular  devotedness. 

We  are  delaying  too  long  to  take  up  the  names  of 
the  missionary  brethren.  As  we  think  of  them,  we 
shall  find  many  recollections  of  personal  interest. 
We  remember  them  with  tender  feeling.  Each  of 
us  can  recall  the  names  of  classmates  and  personal 
friends  who  went  far  hence  to  the  Gentiles.  I count 
it  a real  happiness  to  have  known  so  large  a number 
of  them,  and  especially  that  two  of  them  were  my 
own  younger  brothers.  I would  gladly  try  to  bring 
them  all  up  in  review  before  you,  but  this,  of  course, 
is  impracticable.  Only  a few  can  be  mentioned,  and 
they  those  only  who  have  finished  their  course  ; but 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  317 


I shall  aim  at  selecting  them  so  as  to  show  the  wide 
range  and  great  power  of  the  influences  that  have 
gone  forth  from  this  institution  to  bless  the  world. 
We  shall  see  that  various  degrees  of  native  talent, 
scholastic  culture,  experience  of  divine  grace,  provi- 
dential leading,  all,  have  been  consecrated  to  the 
noblest  work,  and  have  borne  fruit  in  the  ends  of  the 
earth. 

Who  could  have  represented  our  Church  in  Africa 
better  than  James  L.  Mackey?  He  was  a man  of 
solid  rather  than  brilliant  scholarship,  and  was  sur- 
passed by  few  in  practical  force.  His  sterling  com- 
mon sense,  his  knowledge  of  men,  his  straightforward 
integrity,  won  for  him  the  respect  and  confidence  of 
the  ignorant  but  shrewd  people  around  him,  and  his 
steady  and  patient  work  for  their  welfare  left  its  mark 
on  them.  He  knew  how  to  lay  the  foundations  and 
then  how  to  build  on  them.  The  eighteen  years  of 
his  missionary  life  were  years  of  incessant  labor,  and 
his  faith  did  not  fail.  More  than  any  other  was  he 
the  pioneer  and  the  founder  of  our  missions  in  Corisco. 
I often  think  of  him  as  a representative  man,  not 
merely  of  many  missionaries,  but  of  very  many  of 
our  brethren  at  home  — who  may  be  described  as 
practical  men,  respected  everywhere,  called  of  God  to 
do  the  best  kind  of  work,  and  honored  by  saints  and 
angels.  It  is  remarkable,  moreover,  that  so  many  of 
the  brethren  who  labored  and  died  for  Africa  were 
men  of  like  gifts  and  usefulness — -Laird,  White, 
Sawyer,  Alward,  Clemens,  McQueen,  and  others, — 
all  fine  specimens  of  faithful  Presbyterian  ministers. 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


318 

The  Chinese  are  largely  indebted  to  this  seminary. 
The  first  three  missionaries  who  went  to  seek  their 
salvation,  Messrs.  Mitchell,  Hope,  and  Orr,  were  sta- 
tioned at  Singapore  — China  proper  being  then  inac- 
cessible. Two  of  these  brethren  after  a short  time 
were  compelled  to  return  to  this  country  for  their 
health,  but  both  Dr.  Hope  and  Professor  Orr  were 
men  of  mark  and  usefulness  here.  After  China  was 
open,  Mr.  Walter  Lowrie  was  the  first  who  entered 
that  great  field  of  labor  from  this  seminary.  I must 
not  say  much  of  him,  but  I may  be  allowed  to  refer 
to  Dr.  Alexander’s  opinion  of  him  as  one  of  the  fore- 
most men,  if  not  the  foremost,  among  his  fellow-stu- 
dents, as  praise  that  ennobled  its  subject,  and  which 
I think  his  classmates  would  consider  well  deserved. 
His  memoir  still  fulfils  the  Scripture,  “ He  being 
dead,  yet  speaketh.”  Two  years  later  Messrs.  Culbert- 
son and  Lloyd  went  to  China,  with  several  brethren 
still  living.  Mr.  Lloyd  was  as  true  a man  as  ever 
left  Princeton,  and  one  from  whose  labors  the  greatest 
results  were  expected,  but  who  was  allowed  to  con- 
tinue in  his  work  only  four  short  years.  After 
eighteen  years  Dr.  Culbertson  finished  his  work  on 
earth,  having  abundantly  sustained  his  high  reputa- 
tion both  as  a graduate  of  West  Point  Military  Acad- 
emy and  of  this  seminary.  He  was  fitted  by  nature 
and  grace  to  be  a leader  of  men,  and  all  his  gifts 
found  full  employment  in  the  missionary  field.  Two 
years  after  these  brethren  entered  China  they  were 
followed  by  John  B.  French,  whose  youth  and  diffi- 
dence may  perhaps  have  prevented  his  being  fully 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  319 


appreciated  by  his  classmates,  but  he  was  one  whom 
his  preceptor  regarded  as  a bom  orator,  as  well  as  a 
superior  scholar.  His  gift  of  speech,  one  of  the  best 
missionary  gifts,  found  ample  scope  at  Canton,  where 
he  took  high  rank  as  a preacher,  but  he  was  spared 
for  his  work  only  twelve  years.  Messrs.  Henry 
Rankin,  John  Byers,  Reuben  Lov/rie,  Samuel  Gayley, 
William  Morrison,  were  all  men  beloved  by  their 
brethren  here  and  in  China,  who  were  faithful  and 
useful  ; their  early  removal  by  death  was  greatly  de- 
plored. Certainly  this  seminary  has  no  reason  to  be 
ashamed  of  its  representatives  in  China,  and  every 
reason  to  be  grateful  for  their  Christian  record. 

More  of  our  brethren  went  from  this  seminary  to 
India  than  to  any  other  country  abroad,  but  the 
limits  of  this  paper  almost  preclude  notices  of  them. 
The  earliest  was  Mr.  Woodward,  in  1816,  a mission- 
ary of  the  American  Board,  who  died  iti  Ceylon  in 
1834.  Six  of  our  missionaries  in  that  country  met 
with  death  by  violence,  of  whom  four  were  Prince- 
tonians.  Messrs.  Freeman  and  McMullin  perished 
in  the  Sepoy  mutiny,  together  with  their  wives,  and 
Messrs.  Campbell  and  Johnson  of  the  Alleghany 
Seminary,  and  their  wives.  Dr.  Janvier  and  Mr.  Loew- 
enthal  were  killed  in  a time  of  peace.  In  no  other 
missionary  field  have  there  been  so  many  deaths  by 
violence,  though  in  no  other  is  the  protection  of  Gov- 
ernment so  well  assured.  We  are  taught  not  to  put 
confidence  in  princes.  No  one  can  read  over  the 
names  of  the  alumni  who  went  to  India  without 
stopping  to  recall  the  German  Polish  Jew,  Mr.  Loew- 


320 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


enthal,  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  ever 
connected  with  the  seminary.  A foreigner  by  birth, 
a stranger,  a man  without  pecuniary  means,  small  and 
slight  in  stature,  nervous  to  a degree,  after  his  conver- 
sion shortly  before  coming  here  faithful  in  his  Chris- 
tian profession,  he  rapidly  gained  distinction.  His 
scholarship,  well  begun  in  Europe,  became  almost 
eminent  here,  particularly  in  linguistic  studies,  and  as 
a brilliant  writer  he  had  few  equals.  As  a missionary 
he  had  made  large  progress,  when  he  was  taken  to 
his  rest.  To  this  day  it  is  uncertain  whether  his 
death  was  caused  by  the  wicked  purpose  or  simply 
by  the  mistaken  vigilance  of  his  servant. 

The  names  of  Messrs.  McEwen  and  Orbison,  and 
of  Drs.  Owen  and  Janvier  will  long  be  remembered 
with  warm  regard  by  all  who  knew  them  — three  of 
them  as  preachers  in  Hindustani,  and  the  last  two 
as  authors  of  valuable  works  in  the  same  language. 
Mr.  McEwen  was  compelled  to  leave  India  after  a 
short  time  by  his  health,  but  was  a useful  pastor  in 
this  country  for  several  years. 

We  must  also  pass  over  many  other  beloved  names, 
referring  only  to  the  late  Dr.  Ramsey,  of  the  Choctaw 
mission,  and  to  Mr.  Simonton,  of  the  mission  in 
Brazil,  of  which  he  was  the  founder.  Both  were  men 
of  marked  ability ; they  were  superior  scholars,  able 
preachers,  and  humble  and  earnest  in  piety.  It  is 
pleasant  to  recollect  that  several  of  these  missionaries 
were  men  who  had  taken  the  first  honors  at  Prince- 
ton and  other  colleges,  and  that  not  a few  of  them 
were  such  acceptable  preachers  that  they  had  the 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  {SEMINARY.  321 


offer  of  calls  to  important  churches.  They  certainly 
represent  well  the  average  talent,  scholarship,  and 
general  standing  of  our  ministry ; but  I think  we  all 
love  most  to  think  of  them  as  men  of  God,  who  were 
faithful  in  his  service  even  unto  death,  and  who  have 
received  the  crown  of  life. 

As  we  recall  the  names  of  these  missionaries,  it  is 
but  fitting  to  the  hour  that  we  should  remind  our- 
selves of  the  ground  on  which  they  acted,  and  on 
which  this  school  of  the  prophets  has  ever  stood,  in 
regard  to  the  cause  of  foreign  missions.  It  is  simply 
that  of  loyalty  to  Christ  as  king  of  nations,  no  less 
than  as  head  of  the  Church.  It  was  in  obedience  to  his 
commandment  that  they  went  forth,  and  in  no  theo- 
logical seminary  was  that  commandment  ever  held  in 
greater  reverence  This  indeed  is  but  what  might  have 
been  expected,  for  here,  as  we  believe,  sound  doctrine, 
godly  living,  benevolent  labor  for  the  country  and  the 
race  have  all  been  in  honor.  Sound  doctrine,  as 
taught  by  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God,  lies  at  the 
foundation  of  all  true  missionary  work.  We  do  not 
expect  to  see  missionaries  sent  out  by  Unitarian  and 
Universalist  denominations.  Even  among  churches 
of  evangelical  faith,  for  permanent,  sustained,  efficient 
service  we  must  look  to  those  whose  views  of  God’s 
will  and  grace,  and  of  man’s  sin  and  woe,  are  clearest 
and  deepest.  Hence  it  is  with  no  surprise  we  learn 
that  from  the  beginning  the  duty  of  going  forth  as 
foreign  missionaries  was  earnestly  upheld  in  this  semi- 
nary. How  often  did  the  first  two  professors  here 
move  our  hearts  by  their  impassioned  appeals  for  the 
14* 


322 


MIS  SI  ON  A R Y PAPERS. 


heathen  ! Even  when  they  declared  their  conviction, 
sometimes,  that  if  all  the  students  then  in  the  semi- 
nary should  with  intelligent  devotedness  resolve  to 
go  as  missionaries,  it  would  be  a blessing  both  to  our 
Church  and  to  our  country,  as  well  as  to  the  world, 
we  were  sure  that  they  were  right.  They  feared  no 
conflict  between  Home  and  Foreign  Missions  ; nor 
need  we. 

Many  questions  concerning  foreign  missionary 
work,  both  as  to  its  policy  and  measures  here  at 
home,  and  as  to  its  practical  service  in  different  coun- 
tries, must  be  considered  in  our  theological  semi- 
naries. One  of  the  greatest  of  these  questions  is 
now  settled  in  our  body,  and  the  influence  of  this 
seminary  had  much  to  do  with  settling  it  on  the 
right  foundation.  I refer  to  what  we  may  call  our 
Church  theory  of  this  cause.  It  is  not  a cause  to 
be  left  to  the  care  of  voluntary  societies,  neither  is 
it  a cause  to  be  left  to  merely  denominational  boards, 
but  it  is  one  which  rests  upon  the  Church  as  an  or- 
ganized, divinely-constituted  body.  The  Church  has 
as  its  greatest  glory  two  ends  to  serve : to  be  the 
pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth,  and  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature — first,  to  conserve  the  truth, 
then  to  spread  it  abroad  in  the  world.  Missionary 
boards  are  not  indeed  rendered  needless  by  this 
theory,  but  they  become  merely  Committees  of  the 
General  Assembly,  subject  to  its  kind  but  wakeful 
and  firm  supervision,  and  thus  they  enjoy  the  confi- 
dence, sympathy,  and  liberal  support  of  our  people. 
I enter  here  into  no  argument  on  this  subject,  but  I 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  323 


am  glad  to  state  some  things  as  to  the  practical  adop- 
tion of  this  theory,  which  I can  mention  from  per- 
sonal knowledge. 

. When  this  church  movement  in  foreign  missions 
was  begun  in  1831,  it  did  not  at  first  gain  the  support 
of  a large  number,  even  of  the  old  school  churches. 
Many,  if  not  most,  stood  aloof  from  it, — from  at- 
tachment to  the  American  Board,  from  doubts  as  to 
the  theory  of  the  new  movement,  from  the  location 
of  its  headquarters  at  Pittsburg,  then  three  days’ 
journey  in  the  West,  as  far  distant  as  Denver  is  now. 
Yet  in  the  controversies  then  existing,  the  Synod  of 
Pittsburg,  where  all  the  churches  were  of  one  mind 
and  at  peace,  was  a good  birth-place  of  an  enterprise 
whose  object  was  to  fill  the  world  with  truth  and 
peace.  I came  here  in  the  fall  of  1832,  attracted  by 
the  fame  of  the  senior  professors.  It  was  a great 
happiness  to  be  under  their  instruction,  and  to  win 
their  confidence.  It  was  a privilege  indeed  to  make 
the  acquaintance  and  to  acquire  the  friendship  of 
many  brethren  here,  but  as  one  under  appointment 
as  a missionary  I could  not  but  see  that  the  Western 
movement  was  not  well  understood ; and  most  of  the 
students  who  expected  to  go  out  as  missionaries 
looked  to  the  American  Board  for  appointment.  In 
that  day  most  of  the  Eastern  and  Southern  churches 
supported  the  same  excellent  Society.  There  were 
those  who  had  been  led  to  study  the  subject,  how- 
ever, and  who  welcomed  the  movement  of  the  Church 
itself  in  the  work  of  foreign  missions.  Foremost 
among  these  were  Drs.  Miller  and  Alexander.  The 


324 


MI S SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


former  gave  me  a liberal  donation  to  be  forwarded 
with  his  name  to  the  treasurer  at  Pittsburg,  as  a 
practical  proof  of  his  interest  in  the  new  movement, 
while  Dr.  Alexander  took  special  pleasure  in  intro- 
ducing it  to  the  consideration  of  the  churches  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  Others  among  the  directors  and 
trustees  took  similar  action.  The  influence  of  Prince- 
ton was  thrown  on  the  right  side  ; and  the  general 
acceptance  of  this  movement  was  eventually  gained— 
not  by  controversy,  but  by  truth  and  love.  So  when 
a few  years  later  one  of  the  professors  here  gave  to  his 
first-born  son  his  consent  and  blessing  when  he  went 
forth  as  a missionary,  we  all  were  deeply  moved  by 
the  influence  of  so  noble  an  example.  I may  not  say 
more,  but  often  have  I felt  that  in  this  seminary  our 
missionary  cause  has  had  the  best  of  friends ; indeed, 
I believe  that  this  is  true  of  all  our  theological  semi- 
naries. And  we  now  see  our  whole  Church  — old 
and  new— standing  on  the  same  ground,  as  a Church, 
sending  forth  its  sons  and  daughters  as  missionaries. 

Missionary  questions  must  often  claim  considera- 
tion in  our  schools  of  theology  as  well  as  in  the 
Church.  One  of  these  questions  has  been  under 
advisement,  both  by  the  General  Assembly  as  far 
back  as  1827,  and  the  directors  of  this  institution, 
that  of  establishing  a missionary  professorship.  Cer- 
tain views  seem  to  favor  this  measure,  but  the  expec- 
tations of  its  advocates  as  to  its  good  results  would 
probably  be  disappointed.  Another  question  relates 
to  the  method  of  obtaining  missionaries.  The  object 
is  to  secure  only  the  men  who  are  called  to  this  work 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  325 


by  the  Head  of  the  Church.  Can  this  be  done  best  by 
our  missionary  boards  making  out  a formal  “ call  ” to 
persons  supposed  to  be  well  qualified  for  this  service,  or 
is.  it  better  to  wait  for  volunteers,  or  else  can  both 
these  methods  be  in  some  degree  combined  ? Still  an- 
other question  relates  to  the  training  which  our  stu- 
dents need  for  developing  the  benevolent  activities  of 
the  churches  to  whose  usefulness  they  are  to  minister. 
Our  reference  to  such  questions  as  these  has  no  other 
purpose  than  to  suggest  a remark  in  which,  I think, 
we  shall  all  agree, — that  their  right  answers  depend 
very  much  on  the  men  who  are  professors  in  our  sem- 
inaries. So  it  has  been,  so  it  ever  will  be.  Let  a 
true  missionary  spirit  rule  in  these  chairs  of  instruc- 
tion, and  the  happiest  results  will  be  secured. 

Returning  for  a few  moments  to  the  cherished 
names  of  our  missionary  brethren,  we  can  not  think 
of  them  without  feeling  grateful  to  God  for  what 
they  were,  and  for  what  they  were  enabled  to  do  in 
the  service  of  our  Lord.  They  went  forth  from  these 
quiet  scenes  to  many  distant  lands.  They  preached 
the  Gospel  in  many  tongues.  They  taught  the  chil- 
dren, translated  the  Scriptures,  prepared  Christian 
books,  trained  up  native  ministers.  The  lessons 
learned  here  were  retaught  in  Africa,  China,  and  the 
isles  of  the  sea.  It  is  all  idle  to  tell  us  that  they 
labored  in  vain  ; they  have  been  permitted  to  see 
many  converts.  We  must  not  measure  their  work, 
however,  by  the  rule  of  three,  nor  cipher  out  the  cost 
of  each  convert,  or  the  expense  of  each  missionary 
field.  They  have  been  laying  foundations,  and  now 


326 


M. I SSI ON  A R Y PAPERS. 


the  walls  of  the  temple  are  going  up.  The  leaven  of 
the  Gospel  has  been  so  widely  diffused  that  some 
countries  are  on  the  eve  of  great  religious  changes, 
though  professed  converts  are  yet  comparatively  few. 
We  had  with  us  here  not  long  ago  one  of  our  breth- 
ren, now  again  at  his  post,  who  could  have  declared 
to  us  the  wonderful  change  of  public  opinion,  the 
restraints  imposed  on  the  spirit  of  persecution,  the 
establishment  of  religious  liberty,  the  open  door  for 
all  evangelistic  labor,  in  a country  hardly  accessible 
to  a Christian  minister  when  he  began  to  preach  to  a 
few  foreigners  in  one  of  its  seaports.  This  change 
was  largely  effected  by  God’s  blessing  on  his  labors, 
though  he  is  too  modest  to  claim  the  credit  of  it, 
and  now  we  see  there  churches  and  schools  and  the 
Christian  press  as  powerful  agencies  in  the  further 
spread  of  the  Gospel.  Is  it  not  so  in  Syria,  Persia, 
India,  Siam,  and  China, — not  to  speak  of  other  mis- 
sionary lands  ? It  is  truly  a great  work  that  has 
been  accomplished,  and  a work  betokening  still 
greater  progress  in  the  years  near  at  hand. 

But  it  is  the  work  of  men  who  were  mighty  only 
in  the  power  of  God.  We  go  back  with  them  to  the 
peaceful  years  spent  here  in  Princeton.  We  recall 
their  early  impressions  as  to  missionary  duty.  We 
have  talked  with  many  of  them  while  they  were  here 
as  students,  often  in  their  rooms  in  the  dear  old  sem- 
inary. We  have  seen  the  sore  conflict  at  the  thought 
of  leaving  home  and  kindred.  We  know  the  tears 
often  shed,  the  earnest  prayers  many  times  offered. 
What  revelations  many  of  these  old  rooms  could 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  327 


make  of  midnight  hours  spent  at  the  throne  of  grace, 
as  this  question  of  questions,  “ Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do?”  was  laid  before  the  Saviour!  If  in 
all-  this  we  see  much  of  human  weakness  and  suffer- 
ing, we  sympathize  with  it  all  ; most  of  us  know  what 
it  means.  And  yet  we  can  see  the  other  side  there- 
of— the  divine  side ; for  we  know  that  grace  has  been 
given,  and  now  we  see  the  firm  resolve,  the  going 
forth,  the  blessed  life,  the  happy,  joyful  Christian 
course,  the  abundant  labors,  like  those  of  Apostles ! 
Here  we  stand  by  the  peaceful  fountain  ; there  we 
see  the  noble  river,  parted  in  its  streams  and  flowing 
into  many  lands,  ever  deepening  as  in  the  prophet’s 
vision  of  the  holy  waters.  First  the  waters  were  to 
the  ankles  ; then  they  were  to  the  knees  ; then  they 
were  to  the  loins  ; and  then  they  became  a river  that 
could  not  be  passqd  over.  The  prophet  was  brought 
back  to  the  brink  of  the  river,  and  “ behold  at  the 
bank  of  the  river  were  very  many  trees,  on  one  side 
and  on  the  other.”  So  we  stand  here  to-day,  and  as 
we  look  abroad  our  faith  receives  gladly  the  further 
words  of  the  prophet,  “ It  shall  come  to  pass  that 
everything  that  liveth,  which  moveth,  whithersoever 
the  rivers  shall  come,  shall  live ; . . . . everything 
shall  live  whither  the  river  cometh.” 


328 


MISSIONA R V PAPERS. 


L XV. 

WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  AND  FOR- 
EIGN MISSIONS. 

The  service  assigned  to  me  for  the  Fiftieth  Anni- 
versary of  the  Western  Theological  Seminary  [in 
Alleghany,  April  19,  1877],  is  “ to  deliver  an  address 
noting  its  zeal  and  influence  in  Foreign  Missions,  and 
the  work  of  its  alumni  in  the  cause.”  There  are  two 
parts  of  this  wide  theme,  you  will  perceive,  but  they 
both  belong  to  the  one  subject  of  the  place  occupied 
by  this  Seminary  in  Foreign  Missions.  To  under- 
stand this  place  rightly,  we  must  go  back  to  the  be- 
ginning of  the  missionary  and  seminary  movement  in 
this  part  of  the  Church ; trace  its  progress,  and  con- 
sider its  benign  results.  To  do  justice  to  so  large  a 
subject  in  a few  minutes  is  of  course  impossible, 
while  yet  some  practical  views  of  it  admit  of  brief 
statement.  Apart  from  the  difficulty  of  doing  justice 
to  so  large  a theme,  I find  the  embarrassment  of  fol- 
lowing in  the  footsteps  of  the  beloved  brethren,  whose 
admirable  papers  in  the  Memorial  Volume  have  pre- 
occupied the  ground.  They  were  the  fresh  and  vig- 
orous reapers ; I can  only  be  a gleaner.  And  yet  a 
gleaner  may  hope  to  gather  up  golden  grain  that 
might  otherwise  be  lost. 

I.  I would  first  ask  your  attention  to  the  common 
origin  of  this  Seminary  and  of  our  work  of  Foreign 
Missions,  as  organized  under  the  direction  of  the 
Church.  We  may  reverently  trace  its  high  origin  to 


WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  329 


the  forerunning  grace  of  God,  foreordaining  the  ex- 
istence of  both  from  eternity ; but  we  may  also  speak 
of  its  origin  in  the  means  employed,  the  labors,  self- 
denials,  prayers,  and  faith  of  the  men  that  laid  the 
foundations  of  our  Western  Pennsylvania  Church.  It 
is  to  the  piety  of  our  Christian  people,  in  what  was 
then  this  frontier  country,  that  we  owe  numberless 
blessings,  and  among  them  this  Theological  School 
and  a large  part  of  our  foreign  missionary  work. 
Their  religious  views  combined  in  a remarkable  de- 
gree the  high  doctrines  of  divine  sovereignty  in  grace 
with  a deeply  inner  experience  of  their  power.  Those 
whose  privilege  it  is  to  remember  the  preaching  of 
the  earlier  ministers  of  this  region  will  agree  with  me 
in  saying  that  we  hardly  ever  heard  a sermon  that 
was  not  doctrinal  in  its  whole  tenor,  based  on  the  ex- 
position of  Scripture,  and  that  was  not  at  the  same 
time  discriminating,  searching,  and  practical  in  its 
lessons  of  Christian  experience.  Of  course  there  were 
great  differences  amongst  them  in  their  gifts,  but  I 
refer  to  their  common  faith  and  practice  as  preachers 
of  the  Word.  This  preaching  was  earnest.  These 
first  preachers  were  men  in  earnest — missionary  men 
— and  yet  men  who  prized  the  blessings  of  sacred 
learning.  Such  ministers  were  McMillan,  Tait, 
Hughes,  Macurdy,  McPherrin,  and  others  of  the 
earlier  generation  of  Western  Pennsylvania  preachers. 
I need  not  specify  also  the  names  of  Herron,  Brown, 
Jennings,  Fairchild,  Swift,  and  many  others,  who  have 
entered  into  rest,  but  who  can  never  be  forgotten. 
The  venerable  name  of  Dr.  Swift  will  here  come  into 


330 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


the  thoughts  of  us  all.  He  was  not  only  the  founder 
of  our  Church  work  in  foreign  missions,  but  he  was 
the  first  instructor  in  theology  in  this  Seminary.  So 
of  Dr.  Herron,  one  of  the  noblest  of  men,  closely 
connected  with  both  the  Seminary  and  the  Missionary 
Committee.  The  character  and  services  of  these  men 
have  been  well  described  in  the  Memorial  Volume , 
and  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Synod  of  Pittsburgh  from 
1802  to  1832.  These  works  show  the  large  place  oc- 
cupied by  this  theological  school  and  by  our  foreign 
missionary  work  in  the  thoughts  and  sympathies  of 
our  people.  They  show  their  earnest  piety  developed 
actively  in  domestic  and  foreign  missions.  The  In- 
dian missionary  work  was  then  as  it  is  still  in  its 
nature  essentially  foreign  work,  and  I think  this 
Synod  may  fairly  claim  the  credit  of  having  entered 
on  this  work  years  before  the  movement  took  place, 
which  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  American 
Board.  Here  was  its  Board  of  Trust,  or  Administra- 
tive Committee  ; its  missionary  periodical ; its  regular 
collections;  its  missionaries  in  the  field.  If  these 
missions  were  not  as  encouraging  as  was  expected,  it 
may  be  ascribed  partly  to  an  error  in  their  plans,  that 
of  trying  to  conduct  this  Indian  foreign  work  in  a 
method  better  adapted  to  domestic  than  to  foreign 
missions, — that  of  the  temporary  employment  of  min- 
isters as  missionaries  rather  than  appointing  them  to 
a work  for  life.  But  the  principle  of  action  was  right 
and  wise, — alike  honoring  to  God  and  benevolent  to 
men,  combining  the  united  strength  of  numbers,  and 
securing  the  supervision  of  the  Church, — the  only 


WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  331 


permanent  living  organization  in  this  world.' — so  that 
we  do  not  wonder  when  we  see  the  missionary  piety 
of  our  people  founding  schools,  colleges,  and  this 
Theological  Seminary,  and  then  sending  forth  the 
well-qualified  laborers  to  their  work.  Well  may  we 
rejoice  that  our  Seminary  and  so  largely  our  foreign 
missions  were  born  of  such  parentage. 

Their  common  origin  carries  our  thoughts  to  the 
meetings  of  the  Synod  over  in  the  neighboring  city, 
and  there  too  we  find  the  home  of  both  for  some 
years,  in  their  administration.  It  was  the  humble,  but 
pleasant  little  room  in  the  rear  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian church,  known  as  its  session-room— a room 
slightly  irregular  in  form,  and  about  half  the  size  of 
the  session-room  now  in  the  same  place.  There  the 
first  Seminary  recitations  were  heard,  and  there  did 
the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Western  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  “ meet  statedly  on  the  first  Mon- 
day of  each  month,  at  2 o’clock  P.M.” — agreeably  to 
a minute  in  the  handwriting  of  Dr.  Swift.  Some  of 
us  well  remember  that  little  room.  Its  windows 
looked  out  on  graves,  white  under  the  snow  of  winter, 
green  with  the  grass  of  summer,  reminding  us  of  our 
own  mortality,  yet  in  many  cases  speaking  to  us  of 
the  hope  of  immortality  as  a blessed  hope  to  be 
cherished  by  us  and  to  be  published  among  all 
nations. 

We  may  not  pass  from  our  tribute  to  the  mission- 
ary piety  which  founded  these  institutions,  without 
noting  the  generous  spirit  which  led  to  the  transfer 
of  the  foreign  work  to  the  General  Assembly,  as  a like 


332 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


transfer  had  been  made  a few  years  before  to  the  As- 
sembly’s Domestic  Board  of  the  Synod’s  home  work. 
This  change  must  have  caused  regret,  and  even  solic- 
itude, to  the  friends  of  foreign  missions  here,  as  the 
times  then  were  passing ; but  their  faith  stood  the 
test  nobly ; indeed  they  were  filled  with  gratitude  at 
seeing  their  principles  and  their  work  accredited  by 
their  brethren  in  other  parts  of  the  country,  and  their 
hearts  would  have  glowed  with  new  thanksgiving  if 
they  could  have  seen  the  sight  which  our  eyes  wit- 
ness of  the  whole  Church  endorsing  and  adopting 
their  principles  and  measures.  We  all  now  stand  to- 
gether in  our  faith  that  the  Church  is  a missionary 
society,  whose  members  are  all  our  Christian  people. 
If  we  have  not  yet  all  reached  this  ideal  standard,  we 
are  pressing  towards  it ; and  so  we  may  feel  assured 
that  the  blessing  of  our  Saviour’s  presence  will  be 
with  us  in  times  to  come  as  in  times  past.  And  yet 
times  change  ; it  is  not  easy  to  look  out  on  the  Chris- 
tian world  of  these  days  without  feelings  of  anxiety 
as  to  many  great  interests.  But  if  in  our  Seminary 
and  our  missionary  concerns  we  should  be  called  to 
witness  any  falling  away  from  the  old  foundations  ; if 
we  should  see  our  foreign  missionary  work  regarded 
as  not  ordained  church  work,  conducted  in  a broad- 
church  policy,  or  in  sensational  methods,  or  adminis- 
tered for  the  benefit  of  men  not  disinterested  in  their 
motives,  whether  ministers  or  executive  officers,  then 
I trust  the  sans  of  this  old  Synod  will  rise  up  in  the 
stead  of  their  fathers  and  place  this  work  where  it 
stood  here  forty  years  ago.  It  is  the  old  sacred  work 


WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  333 


of  the  apostles  and  martyrs,  and  the  new  holy  work 
of  every  age,  until  it  is  finished  and  our  Lord  shall 
reign  from  the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Now, 
as  I understand  the  case,  this  reference  to  the  founders 
and  supporters  of  this  Seminary  will  set  forth  its 
“ zeal  and  influence  in  Foreign  Missions.”  You  see 
the  men.  You  know  what  their  work  must  be.  You 
see  the  spring  of  their  action,  and  you  can  judge  of 
its  movement,  and  can  understand  how  this  cause 
was  always  held  in  honor  here.  You  would  feel  dis- 
appointed indeed,  if  you  saw  none  of  the  students 
going  forth  to  labor  in  the  foreign  field. 

This  brief  statement  enables  us  to  understand  also 
one  of  the  good  effects  of  the  connection  between 
these  two  great  interests — the  home  results  of  the 
case.  The  going  out  as  missionaries  of  some  of  the 
students  has  been  of  great  benefit  to  the  churches. 
Some  there  are,  indeed,  who  ask,  “To  what  purpose 
is  this  waste  ? ” They  see  a choice  young  man,  or  a 
young  woman  of  culture  and  loveliness,  going  to  live 
and  labor  among  ignorant  and  debased  people  in 
Africa  or  among  the  Laos,  and  they  think  these  lives 
are  thrown  away.  We  stop  not  to  argue  the  case, 
only  asking  in  return,  Did  not  our  Saviour  come 
down  to  live  and  labor  and  die  for  sinful  and  guilty 
men,  in  his  sight  all  repulsive  and  degraded  ? But 
suppose  these  missionaries  had  never  gone  abroad, 
suppose  these  familiar  names  of  Lodiana,  Corisco, 
and  Petchaburi  had  never  been  heard  of  by  our 
Christian  people,  our  convictions  of  benevolent  duty 
v/ould  have  lacked  an  element  of  power  and  sacred 


334 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


emotion.  Suppose  that  our  brethren  had  not  been 
put  to  death  in  the  rebellion  of  the  Sepoys,  our 
Christian  sympathies  would  have  been  less  tender  and 
Christ-like, — our  sense  of  the  Saviour’s  presence  and 
grace  would  have  been  less  impassioned  and  complete, 
and  the  fulness  of  his  blessing  would  not  have  been 
poured  out  upon  our  churches. 

II.  Passing  these  and  other  views,  let  us  now  look 
at  the  missionaries  and  their  work.  Here  we  may 
note  some  statistics.  The  whole  number  of  mission- 
aries sent  from  this  Seminary  to  foreign  missions  is 
fifty-eight,  not  counting  two  or  three  who  went  to 
Texas  before  its  admission  to  the  Union,  where  the 
work  was  then,  as  it  is  now,  essentially  in  the  line  of 
Domestic  Missions.  But  this  number  includes  those 
who  went  to  the  Indians,  as  missionary  work  for  them, 
if  rightly  conducted,  is  substantially  the  same  as  work 
in  Africa  or  China.  Of  these  fifty-eight  brethren, 
nearly  one-third  have  been  led  by  various  causes  to 
return  to  this  country.  Twelve  have  been  removed 
by  death,  to  whose  memory  we  will  return  further  on  ; 
but  keeping  now  to  the  statistics,  we  may  note  that 
the  rate  of  mortality  here,  as  also  at  Princeton,  is 
slightly  less  among  the  foreign  missionary  alumni, 
than  among  the  graduates  in  general.  This  fact  is 
but  what  might  be  expected,  considering  the  care 
given  to  the  selection  of  men  adapted  to  the  climate 
of  the  countries  respectively  in  which  they  are  to 
spend  their  days.  It  is  a cause  of  gratitude  to  find 
that  nearly  one-half  of  the  whole  number  are  yet 
in  the  field  of  labor.  Still  further,  as  showing  the 


WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  335 


relative  number  who  have  entered  on  foreign  service, 
we  may  divide  the  half  century  into  three  periods. 
In  the  first,  from  1827  to  1843,  the  whole  number  of 
students  was  228,  and  of  foreign  missionaries  17 — or 
one  in  thirteen  nearly.  From  1844  to  i860,  the  re- 
turns were  523  and  27 — or  one  in  nineteen  nearly. 
And  from  1861  to  1876,  the  numbers  were  419  and  15 
— or  only  one  in  nearly  twenty-eight.  This  compara- 
tive statement  furnishes  materials  for  earnest  thought, 
and  perhaps  for  somewhat  discouraging  inferences. 
But  many  things  have  to  be  considered  before  one 
can  reach  a conclusion  in  such  matters ; and  at  any 
rate,  I do  not  wish  now  to  pursue  this  point. 

If  we  follow  the  brethren  to  their  various  fields  of 
labor,  we  find  that  seven  of  them  went  to  the  Indians, 
of  whom  only  two  are  now  in  the  field ; two  went  to 
Africa,  both  of  whom  early  entered  into  rest ; nine- 
teen went  to  India,  five  to  Siam,  twelve  to  China,  one 
to  Japan,  eight  to  South  America,  one  to  Mexico, 
one  to  the  Jews,  and  one  to  Greece,  in  his  purpose, 
though  called  to  a better  country  before  he  left  our 
shores.  The  General  Catalogue  does  not  fill  its  first 
page  of  names  without  printing  several  of  them  in 
italics,  denoting  their  having  gone  forth  as  mission- 
aries. Most  of  the  names  on  this  page  were  members 
of  churches  in  the  old  Synod  ; so  were  most  of  the 
devoted  women  who  went  abroad  as  the  wives  of  the 
earlier  alumni  missionaries.  The  first  two  brethren 
sent  as  missionaries  were  not  indeed  students  of  this 
Seminary,  for  our  Missionary  Society  thus  early 
showed  its  wide  relations  to  the  whole  Church,  but  the 


336 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


first  two  missionaries  appointed  by  the  Society  were 
students  of  this  school,  and  were  appointed  in  Janu- 
ary, 1832,  several  months  before  any  from  other 
Seminaries. 

Our  next  step  takes  us  to  the  work  of  the  mission- 
aries. You  see  them  laboring  for  Christ  among  the 
Indian  tribes,  in  Western  Africa,  India,  Siam,  China, 
Japan,  among  the  Chinese  in  California,  in  Brazil, 
the  United  States  of  Colombia,  and  Mexico.  The 
population  of  these  various  countries  may  be  esti- 
mated at  about  700,000,000,  or  one-half  of  the 
human  family,  and  the  greater  part  of  this  vast 
multitude  has  become  accessible  to  missionaries  since 
this  Seminary  was  founded.  The  two  most  densely 
inhabited  countries,  India  and  China,  and  some  of  the 
smallest  tribes,  are  in  the  missions  occupied  by  these 
brethren — 400,000,000  of  the  Chinese,  and  1,000 
Omaha  Indians ; such  is  the  diverse  ordering  of 
Providence  ! We  must  not  despise  the  few  lost  sheep 
in  the  wilderness,  nor  be  discouraged  at  the  greatness 
of  the  harvest  in  the  multitudinous  nations  of  the 
East.  Nor  need  our  missionary  brethren  hesitate 
to  follow  the  guidance  which  takes  them  into 
either  field.  John  Newton  said  that  if  two  angels 
were  sent  down  from  heaven,  one  to  rule  a kingdom, 
the  other  to  sweep  the  streets  of  its  principal  city, 
they  would  come  with  equal  pleasure. 

If  we  consider  the  languages  and  dialects  in  use  in 
these  nations  and  tribes,  we  find  over  twenty,  of 
which  our  brethren  must  learn  each  at  least  one — 
their  first  occupation,  often  dry  and  difficult  ; but  it 


WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  337 


opens  the  door  to  the  minds  of  the  people.  Some  of 
our  brethren  abroad  stand  high  in  native  scholarship. 
One  of  them  is,  I suppose,  the  best  Gurmukhi  scholar 
living,  and  to  him  we  are  indebted  chiefly  for  the 
Dictionary  of  the  Gurmukhi  language,  and  for  the 
translation  of  the  Scriptures  in  it.  In  other  coun- 
tries many  valuable  contributions  have  been  made  by 
these  missionaries  to  this  department  of  knowledge. 

After  learning  the  language,  then  follows  the  life- 
work  of  all  true  missionaries,  that  of  preaching  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  to  souls  depraved, 
perishing,  even  dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sin.  This 
work  is  one  and  ever  the  same,  the  sacred  work  of 
Apostles  and  of  true  ministers  of  the  Gospel  in  all 
ages.  Yet,  if  we  would  rightly  understand  it,  we 
must  keep  in  mind  its  varied  forms.  In  general  it  is 
preaching  in  meetings  of  many  or  few,  it  is  teaching 
children  and  youth,  it  is  preparing  and  printing  trans- 
lations of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  other  Christian 
books,  it  is  training  native  converts  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry  among  their  own  people.  It  is  not  labor 
in  vain.  It  results  by  the  blessing  of  God  in  souls 
converted,  in  churches  gathered,  in  the  settlement  of 
native  pastors,  in  the  translation  of  redeemed  spirits 
to  the  heavenly  world — often  such  as  have  been 
purified  in  the  fires  of  persecution.  These  greatest 
results  may  not  in  all  cases  be  achieved  for  many 
years,  but  in  all  cases  Gospel  seed  is  sown,  Gospel 
leaven  is  implanted,  and  the  time  of  life  from  the 
dead  is  drawing  on  apace.  No  matter  how  poor,  how 
ignorant,  how  low  down  in  the  scale  of  humanity, 

15 


338 


MIS  SI ON  A R Y PAPERS. 


the  present  generation  of  the  unevangelized  is  not 
worse  than  others  who  have  been  lifted  up  by  the 
Gospel  and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  eminence 
in  social  culture,  intelligence,  morality,  and  Christian 
excellence.  Even  so  shall  it  be  in  many  Indian  tribes, 
in  many  dark  places  of  Africa,  in  all  the  thronged 
cities  of  India  and  China.  It  is  this  work  in  which 
our  brethren  are  engaged,  and  we  almost  envy  them 
their  great  privilege  of  being  so  employed. 

If  time  permitted  we  might  refer  to  some  of  the 
distinctive  aspects  of  each  of  the  fields  in  which 
our  brethren  are  at  work,  but  it  is  only  the  briefest 
reference  we  can  make  to  them.  Here  is  the  Indian 
missionary  work,  which  from  the  earliest  settlement 
of  these  cis-Alleghany  regions  enlisted  the  active 
sympathies  and  labors  of  our  Christian  people.  It 
is  now  a work  to  be  performed  in  a critical  period  of 
Indian  life,  and  it  is  somewhat  discouraging  to  find 
that  only  two  of  our  alumni  are  remaining  in  this  ser- 
vice, both  of  them  now  aged  men.  When  we  turn  to 
another  part  of  the  great  field,  where  darkness  has 
long  reigned,  we  are  impressed  with  the  fact  that 
but  two  of  our  brethren  went  to  Africa,  and  after  a 
short  time  of  earnest  work  they  both  entered  there 
into  rest.  We  mourn  over  the  early  departure  from 
this  life  of  John  Cloud  and  George  Pauli.  They  were 
devoted  and  noble  men.  We  do  not  believe  that  they 
lived  and  died  in  vain.  Their  African  graves  speak  to 
us,  and  so  does  the  remembrance  of  their  loving  and 
earnest  piety.  We  may  fear  that  their  fervent  zeal 
outran  their  prudence  in  meeting  climatic  risks ; but 


WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  339 


the  conditions  of  African  work  are  now  better  under- 
stood, and  life  there  may  be  preserved  as  in  most 
other  countries.  We  trust  our  beloved  Seminary  is 
yet  to  have  representatives  in  this  field  — specially 
connected  as  it  is  with  our  own  country,  and  having 
peculiar  claims  on  our  Christian  sympathy. 

As  we  follow  these  thoughts,  specifying  only  coun- 
tries in  which  some  of  our  alumni  met  their  hour  of 
death,  and  mentioning  by  name  only  those  who  have 
thus  gone  before  us,  we  recall  the  bright  face  of  Mr. 
Staicos,  who  died  before  he  embarked  for  Greece,  his 
native  country.  We  remember  Mr.  Samuel  Sharpe, 
who  now  sleeps  in  Bogota,  a devoted  brother,  whose 
promise  of  most  useful  service  was  early  disappointed, 
— rather,  we  should  say,  was  early  fulfilled  in  the  world 
above.  We  recall  to  memory  the  two  brethren  who  had 
given  their  lives  to  China — Messrs.  Orr  and  Green. 
All  who  knew  them  would  bear  willing  testimony  to 
their  being  earnest,  faithful  brethren,  men  highly  es- 
teemed and  worthy  of  being  held  in  honor  as  minis- 
ters and  as  missionaries.  Their  good  record  shows 
that  missionaries,  brought  back  to  their  native  coun- 
try against  their  choice,  may  often  be  permitted  to  be 
very  useful  in  the  ministry  at  home. 

It  is  when  we  turn  to  India  that  we  find  in  our  Cat- 
alogue the  first  starred  name  amongst  our  foreign  mis- 
sionaries, that  of  my  esteemed  classmate  and  mission- 
ary colleague,  William  Reed.  He  was  a sincere  and 
good  man,  devoted  to  the  cause,  well  fitted  by  gifts 
of  nature  and  grace  to  be  a useful  and  practical  labor- 
er ; but  he  had  not  entered  fully  on  his  long-desired 


340 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


work  when  the  failure  of  his  health  arrested  his  prog- 
ress. Then  followed  his  embarking  for  this  country, 
under  the  impression  that  he  might  here  live  for  sev- 
eral years  ; but  his  voyage  ended  in  his  peaceful  de- 
parture to  a better  country,  and  from  its  resting-place 
in  the  Bay  of  Bengal  his  glorified  form  shall  rise  when 
the  sea  gives  up  its  dead.  More  than  twenty  years 
later  the  terrible  rebellion  of  the  Sepoys  swept  from 
the  earth  in  a tempest  of  wicked  passion  hundreds  of 
foreign  residents  in  India ; many  of  the  strong  men, 
many  of  the  best  women,  many  dear  little  children 
were  cut  down  by  the  pitiless  insurgents.  All  our  own 
brethren  and  their  families  were  for  several  months  in 
extreme  peril,  but  through  the  mercy  of  God  all  es- 
caped a violent  death,  many  times  apparently  inevita- 
ble, all  excepting  four  families,  those  of  Messrs.  Free- 
man, Campbell,  Johnson,  and  McMullin.  Of  these, 
Messrs.  Campbell  and  Johnson  were  students  of  this 
Seminary.  They  were  choice  and  devoted  laborers, 
and  their  wives  were  like-minded.  How  was  the  heart 
of  our  whole  Church  moved  to  its  depths  by  this  great 
bereavement ! Resuming  these  notices,  we  next  come 
to  the  name  of  Mr.  Crane,  who  went  to  India  under 
the  American  Board,  but  was  compelled  to  return  to 
this  country  after  a few  years  on  account  of  his  health. 
Here  he  continued  in  the  work  of  his  Lord  until  he 
departed  this  life  in  1856.  Speaking  of  him  without 
personal  knowledge,  I yet  feel  persuaded  that  he  was 
a true  and  faithful  missionary  and  minister.  The  next 
name  that  rises  before  us  is  that  of  Mr.  Fullerton, 
who  died  in  India  in  1865.  Few  men  ever  left  the 


WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  341 


Seminary,  few  men  ever  served  the  Saviour  as  mis- 
sionaries, who  held  a higher  place  in  the  affections  of 
their  brethren.  Of  fine  mental  powers,  of  genial  so- 
cial disposition,  of  warm  affections,  all  lighted  up  by 
a joyous  temperament,  he  was  an  earnest  and  whole- 
hearted servant  of  Christ,  and  a most  efficient  and 
successful  laborer.  His  letters  describing  his  visit  to 
the  ruins  of  the  Futtehgurh  missionary  station  and 
his  interviews  with  the  native  Christian  brethren  after 
the  Sepoy  Rebellion,  are  most  graphic  and  touching. 
It  is  a wonder  that  they  have  not  long  since  been  re- 
printed, as  a volume  for  our  Sabbath-school  libraries. 
As  we  think  of  Mr.  Fullerton  and  so  many  others 
called  away  in  the  midst  of  their  days  and  of  their  la- 
bors for  Christ  and  their  fellow-men,  we  can  only  say, 
“ Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy 
sight  1 ” The  last  name  on  this  list  of  departed 
brethren  is  that  of  Dr.  Warren,  of  whose  death  at 
Gwalior,  India,  we  heard  but  a few  days  ago.  He 
counted  it  a privilege  to  go  back  to  his  missionary 
work,  after  having  been  led  by  Providence  to  spend 
several  years  in  the  home  ministry  of  the  Church. 
Those  who  have  read  his  book  on  India,  published 
by  our  Board  of  Publication,  will  receive  a most  fa- 
vorable impression  of  his  ability,  which  was  much 
above  the  ordinary  grade,  of  his  varied  gifts  of  ser- 
vice, of  his  genial  temperament,  and  especially  of 
his  sincere  labor  for  Christ  and  his  fellow-men.  He 
translated  Flavel’s  “ Fountain  of  Life  ” and  Hodge’s 
“ Way  of  Life  ” into  Hindustani,  and  prepared 
other  works  ; but  his  little  memoirs  of  two  native 


342 


M IS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


converts,  “Poor  Blind  Sally”  and  “ Jutni,”  were  per- 
haps more  attractive.  It  was  touching  indeed  to 
read  of  Jutni’s  dying  hours — a young  Hindu  wife 
and  mother  borne  up  above  the  sorrow  of  separa- 
tion from  her  friends  and  above  the  fear  of  dying. 
“ I know  Christ,”  she  said,  “ and  can  fully  and  com- 
pletely trust  Him  in  all  things.  He  keeps  my  mind 
in  perfect  peace,”  and  so  she  entered  into  rest.  Her 
missionary  friend  has  now  met  her  again  in  the  Sav- 
iour’s presence. 

Here  we  might  close  these  brief  notices  of  departed 
missionaries,  who  went  forth  from  this  school  of  the 
prophets.  Of  those  still  living  in  various  missionary 
countries,  we  forbear  to  speak,  though  their  record  is 
one  that  we  need  not  be  ashamed  of, — rather  it  is  in 
general  one  that  is  worthy  of  our  admiration.  But 
it  may  be  allowed,  and  our  best  feelings  prompt  us 
all,  I feel  sure,  to  pay  a brief  tribute  to  the  memory 
of  the  Christian  women  who  went  forth  as  mission- 
aries, and  who  have  finished  their  course.  We  find 
the  names  of  eleven  of  these  elect  ladies,  the  wives  of 
missionaries  from  this  Seminary,  most  of  them  born 
and  brought  up  in  the  churches  of  this  region.  We 
have  called  to  remembrance  their  history,  their  char- 
acter, even  their  looks  as  we  have  seen  them  going  out 
to  their  distant  fields,  and  some  of  them  as  they  re- 
turned to  end  their  days  here  at  home.  We  would 
use  no  indiscriminate  language  of  praise;  they  had 
their  different  gifts,  their  varied  culture,  their  diver- 
sified range  of  social  enjoyment ; and  they  would 
all  have  themselves  confessed  imperfections  which 


WESTERN  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY.  343 


their  friends  seldom  saw  ; but  take  them  as  they  were, 
and  I think  they  were  a noble  company  of  Christian 
women,  and  as  missionaries  they  were  worthy  of  all 
honor  and  love.  The  Church  may  well  thank  God  for 
the  grace  given  to  them.  This  Seminary  may  point  to 
them  as  invaluable  co-laborers  with  its  alumni  abroad. 
Their  husbands  will  surely  praise  them.  To  one  of 
these  for  more  than  forty  years  the  memory  of  his  de- 
parted wife  has  been  a benediction,  and  a cherished 
incentive  to  continued  labor  in  the  cause  of  missions. 
For  this  cause  may  we  ever  have  the  service  of  con- 
secrated, spiritually-minded  Christian  women, — adorn- 
ed with  the  gifts  of  education  and  refined  culture,  but 
most  of  all  with  the  ornament  of  a meek  and  quiet 
spirit,  which  in  the  sight  of  God  is  of  great  price ! 

We  have  thus  glanced  at  the  beginning  and  the 
progress  of  the  foreign  missionary  cause  as  connected 
with  this  Theological  Seminary.  Imperfect  as  this 
sketch  has  been,  it  has  yet  given  us  some  impression 
of  the  grace  of  God  as  displayed  in  the  ordering  of 
events,  in  the  piety  of  his  people,  and  in  the  lives  and 
labors  of  many  of  his  servants.  We  are  filled  with 
gratitude  for  what  God  hath  wrought  for  the  Church 
and  for  the  world  in  connection  with  this  Theological 
Seminary.  And  we  are  led  to  indulge  high  hopes  of 
future  and  wide-spread  usefulness  from  these  Old 
Synod  of  Pittsburg  churches  and  from  this  school 
of  ministerial  training,  always  chiefly  supported  by 
their  men  and  means.  We  are  brought  back,  there- 
fore, to  the  old  Synod,  its  churches,  its  families,  its 
sons  and  its  daughters,  and  in  their  piety  we  see  one 


344 


MIS  SION  A R Y PAPERS. 


of  the  greatest  means  which  God  in  his  grace  has  ap- 
pointed for  the  conversion  of  the  world.  Here 
in  this  home  of  Presbyterianism,  amongst  a people 
homogeneous,  earnest,  trained  in  Christian  doctrine 
and  experience  ; here  in  this  goodly  land  of  hills  and 
valleys,  of  forests  and  fields,  of  wealth  in  the  soil  and 
treasures  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth,  what  may  not 
this  school  of  the  prophets  do,  what  may  not  this 
cause  of  missions  do,  if  only  the  spirit  of  the  fathers 
rest  upon  their  children!  We  are  grateful  for  the 
past.  We  are  hopeful  for  the  future.  At  the  end  of 
the  next  fifty  years,  I trust,  not  scores,  but  hundreds 
of  foreign  missionaries  will  be  counted  as  alumni. 
We  must  look  for  a great  increase  of  laborers  abroad. 
The  home  field  must  be  thoroughly  cultivated,  but  it 
is  filling  up  with  laborers.  The  work  in  foreign  fields 
is  only  begun.  In  China  alone  all  the  alumni  of  this 
Seminary  might  find  plenty  of  work  to  do  for  Christ 
and  for  souls.  What  we  most  need  is  the  outpouring 
of  the  Spirit  from  on  high  upon  our  churches  and 
our  Seminaries.  “ God  be  merciful  unto  us  and  bless 
us ; and  cause  his  face  to  shine  upon  us.  Selah.  That 
thy  way  may  be  known  upon  earth,  thy  saving  health 
among  all  nations.  Let  the  people  praise  thee,  O 
God  ; let  all  the  people  praise  thee.” 


MISSIONARY  PRESBYTERIES. 


345 


LXVI. 

MISSIONARY  PRESBYTERIES. 

We  would  gladly  see  all  evangelical  Christians  so 
united  in  the  work  of  foreign  missions,  that,  as  the 
fruit  of  their  labors,  there  should  be  only  one  Church  in 
each  country.  Under  the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
we  may  certainly  look  for  uniform  doctrinal  belief, 
for  general  uniformity  in  the  experience  of  Divine 
grace,  and  perhaps  for  a large  amount  of  agreement 
as  to  the  government  and  order  of  the  Church,  among 
all  the  followers  of  Christ  our  Lord.  Then  there 
will  be  external  union,  springing  from  inward  and 
gracious  convictions.  In  the  meantime,  the  golden 
rule  requires  our  different  denominations  to  help  each 
other,  and  thus  more  may  be  done  for  the  spread  of 
the  Gospel  than  if  all  were  united  like  the  conflicting 
sects  of  the  Romanists  in  one  external  organization. 
The  various  members  of  our  Presbyterian  family  may 
especially  be  expected  to  dwell  together  in  unity, 
even  if  separated  in  denominations,  and  to  work  to- 
gether in  missionary  service  as  brethren.  They  will 
seldom  wish  to  perpetuate  abroad  divisions  which, 
for  the  present,  seem  without  remedy  at  home.  The 
words  Scotch,  Dutch,  and  American  seem  misapplied 
when  spoken  of  churches  in  Japan,  India,  or  China. 

FIRST. 

In  order  to  secure  Catholic  Presbyterian  work  in 
foreign  missions,  it  is  needful  only  to  adhere  to  the 
i5* 


346 


M I SSI  ON.  A R Y PAPERS. 


first  principles  of  our  own  system.  But  unhappily  a 
diversity  of  opinion  exists  as  to  some  practical 
matters.  Some  of  our  friends  do  not  favor  the  or- 
ganization of  Presbyteries  in  our  foreign  missions. 
Others  advocate  this  measure,  but  restrict  the  mem- 
bership of  the  Presbytery  to  native  ministers  and 
elders,  the  foreign  ministers  remaining  members  of 
their  Presbyteries  at  Home.  Others  still,  and  the 
greater  number,  approve  of  forming  Presbyteries 
abroad  very  much  as  at  home,  but  differ  somewhat  in 
minor  things — connection  exclusively  with  the  home 
Synod  or  Assembly,  greater  liberty  of  union  with 
Presbyteries  in  the  field  of  other  Presbyterian  denom- 
inations, changes  in  the  representation  of  native 
churches  in  the  General  Assembly,  limits  of  appeal, 
etc.  These  minor  differences  of  opinion,  on  close 
study,  may  be  regarded  as  divergent  rather  than  con- 
flicting. 

The  first  and  most  radical  opinion,  as  to  having  no 
Presbyteries,  is  held  by  esteemed  brethren  who  do  not 
hesitate  to  organize  their  churches  on  the  theory  of 
our  body ; and  in  this  instance  we  may  reverse  the 
usual  formula,  and  believe  that  the  less  includes  the 
greater  ! The  principles  of  Authority  and  Represen- 
tation, which  are  involved  in  forming  a church  and 
its  session,  are  equally  applicable  to  the  organizing  of  a 
Presbytery.  For  this  venerable  body,  the  “ mission,” 
so  called,  is  an  inadequate  substitute — especially  in 
the  ordination  of  ministers  and  the  superintendence 
of  churches.  I.  According  to  Presbyterian  ideas,  the 
“ mission  ” is  not  a scriptural  ordaining  body.  It  is 


MISSIONARY  PRESBYTERIES. 


347 


but  a committee,  chiefly  for  business  purposes,  of  the 
Missionary  Board  at  home,  itself  seldom  clothed  with 
any  Church  power.  2.  It  does  not  represent  the 
native  churches  in  any  way ; rarely,  if  at  all,  are  these 
churches  responsible  for  its  action.  3.  It  can  not 
satisfactorily  watch  over  the  Christian  walk  of  native 
ministers  and  churches,  nor  exercise  needful  discipline 
in  cases  of  misconduct.  Indeed,  the  “ mission,”  so 
far  as  church  work  and  order  are  concerned,  is  but  an 
expedient  which  our  Independent  brethren  have  to 
adopt  in  the  absence  from  their  system  of  any  organ- 
ized authority  except  that  of  the  local  church, — a 
needless  expedient,  and  one  open  to  serious  objec- 
tions when  it  invades  the  province  of  the  Church, 
according  to  the  lowest  conceptions  among  us  of  the 
constitution  of  the  Church.  We  all  believe  that  we 
have  in  Presbytery, — in  the  principles  on  which  Pres- 
bytery rests,  which  are  of  Divine  appointment, — a 
safe,  comprehensive,  and  sufficiently  flexible  means  of 
watching  over  and  fostering  the  interest  of  both  min- 
isters and  churches  in  the  best  way ; and  we  doubt 
not  that  eventually  Presbytery  will  be  welcomed  by  all. 

The  views  of  brethren  who  would  restrict  all 
church  organization  to  the  natives  also  require  care- 
ful study.  They  advocate  missionary  Presbyteries, 
but  hold  that  foreign  missionaries  should  not  be 
members  of  them  ; these  must  retain  their  connection 
with  Presbyteries  at  home  ; but,  while  standing  out- 
side of  the  native  church-sessions  and  Presbyteries, 
they  should  act  as  their  counsellors  and  guides.  Even 
on  this  view,  would  not  their  influence  be  greater  and 


348 


MI SSIONAR  V PAPERS. 


happier  if  they  were  identified  with  their  native 
brethren  ? The  native  churches  require  the  support 
of  their  foreign  friends,  and  they  will  need  it  for 
many  years ; but  if  it  be  left  to  mere  personal  or 
“ mission  ” administration,  serious  difficulty  will  be 
encountered  by  both  parties,  in  cases  of  discipline 
and  in  the  work  of  the  ministry.  The  foreign  min- 
ister, especially,  will  be  embarrassed  with  duties  in- 
volving the  episcopal  prerogative  which  we  consider 
inherent  in  Presbytery  rather  than  in  prelacy,  and  so 
our  plain  Presbyterian  minister  will  have  to  become  a 
quasi  bishop.  He  will  be  tempted  to  overstrain  his 
legitimate  influence,  and  take  upon  himself  duties 
properly  belonging  to  the  native  church.  He  will, 
moreover,  be  virtually  an  Independent  minister,  as 
well  as  a half-way  bishop,  for  his  Presbytery  at  home 
can  exercise  little  supervision  over  one  of  its  mem- 
bers whose  life  and  work  are  so  far  beyond  its  bounds 
and  personal  observation. 

Some  of  our  brethren  claim,  indeed,  in  reply  to 
such  views  as  these,  that  missionaries  are  evangelists, 
of  the  order  of  Timothy  and  Titus,  and  are,  there- 
fore, not  to  be  identified  with  the  native  ministry  and 
church.  This  theory  is  too  large  for  consideration 
here,  but  it  may  be  suggested  that  the  framers  of  the 
Westminster  Standards,  like  the  Reformation  min- 
isters generally,  did  not  regard  evangelists  as  among 
“ the  ordinary  and  perpetual  officers  in  the  Church  ” ; 
and  some  of  the  most  eminent  of  later  ministers  con- 
sidered Timothy  and  Titus  not  as  evangelists,  but  as 
agents  of  the  Apostles  for  special  services,  so  that, 


MISSIONAR  Y PRESS  Y TERIES. 


349 


when  the  apostolic  office  ceased,  their  office  came 
to  an  end.  By  several  Fathers  of  early  time  who 
refer  to  evangelists,  their  itineratory  work  seems  to 
have  been  viewed  as  the  chief  feature  of  their  min- 
istry ; but  most  modern  missionaries  are  dwellers  in 
stations,  and  are  chiefly  occupied  with  settled  labors. 
Or  if  the  title,  as  in  the  case  of  Philip,  the  only 
evangelist  so  designated  in  Scripture,  refers  rather  to 
the  work,  or  one  of  the  functions,  of  a minister,  then 
we  find  his  followers  in  our  regular  ministers  in  some 
of  their  various  duties.  Some  of  our  ministers  may 
be  ordained  to  foreign  or  frontier  work,  without  pas- 
toral charge  ; but  we  do  not  find,  in  Philip’s  example, 
that  the  ordaining  of  ministers  and  superintendence 
of  churches,  apart  from  the  Presbytery,  are  their 
proper  functions.  In  new  countries,  and  especially 
in  the  United  States,  it  is  often  deemed  expedient  to 
ordain,  as  ministers,  men  in  whose  call  to  the  sacred 
office  the  voice  of  the  Christian  people  is  not  heard  ; 
and  this  may  be  a reason  why  so  many  ministers  are 
afterwards  found  in  these  countries  no  longer  engaged 
in  ministerial  work.  All  that  the  exigencies  of  modern 
evangelism  require  is  obtained  by  the  ordination,  in 
special  cases,  of  missionaries,  not  as  evangelists,  but 
as  ministers  at  large.  And  then  they  must  order 
their  ministry  by  the  usual  law  and  supervision  of  the 
Presbytery  with  which  they  are  connected,  which 
should  be,  if  practicable,  a Presbytery  on  the  ground 
where  their  work  is  to  be  done.  We  can  not  think  that 
calling  missionaries  evangelists  exempts  them  from 
the  usual  conditions  of  our  ministry.  Abroad,  as  at 


350 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


home,  let  Presbyteries  be  constituted,  whose  members 
shall  consist  “ of  all  the  ministers  and  one  ruling  elder 
from  each  congregation  within  a certain  district.”  As 
the  office  of  a minister  includes  that  of  a ruling  elder, 
there  is  no  theoretical  difficulty  in  the  way  of  organ- 
izing missionary  Presbyteries  at  first,  without  either 
churches  or  ruling  elders.  Examples  of  this  kind 
may  be  found  frequently  in  the  history  of  the  Amer- 
ican Presbyterian  churches,  and  we  presume  in  that 
of  Presbyterian  churches  in  other  countries. 

To  emphasize  these  views,  even  at  the  risk  of  some 
repetition,  we  can  see  no  warrant,  in  our  principles  of 
church  government,  for  the  position  of  foreign  min- 
isters separate  from  their  native  brethren.  All  live 
in  the  same  district,  and  are  engaged  in  the  same 
work.  They  are  brought  together,  in  Presbytery,  in 
the  best  relations  to  each  other.  The  foreign  minister 
has  the  superior  education  and  general  knowledge, — 
the  native,  the  better  acquaintance  with  his  own 
people  and  all  their  ways ; so  that,  in  official  counsels 
and  acts,  both  parties  are  benefited  by  their  being  in 
the  same  body.  Particularly  is  this  advantage  gained 
in  cases  of  difficulty  which  unhappily  will  arise.  But 
the  almost  special  advantage  of  these  common  pres- 
byterial  relations  is  found  in  their  benign  influence  in 
bridging  over  the  chasm  which  too  often  exists  be- 
tween the  foreign  and  the  native  laborers  to  the 
serious  loss  and  injury  of  both.  And  hardly  less  im- 
portant is  the  bearing  of  these  joint  relations  on  the 
great  question  of  self-support  by  the  native  churches  ; 
this  will  best  be  promoted  by  the  common  counsels, 


M I SSIONAR  Y PRESS  Y SERIES . 


35i 


sympathies,  and  prayers  of  brethren  who  are  united 
in  the  same  church  organization.  It  is  not  found  to 
be  a serious  objection  to  this  joint  agency,  that,  after 
a while,  the  native  members  would  outnumber  the 
foreign.  So  far  as  the  control  of  funds  appropriated 
by  the  Missionary  Board  is  concerned,  the  foreign 
members  would  of  course  be  entrusted  with  their 
expenditure,  according  to  rules  approved  by  the 
Board.  Certain  questions  of  representation  in  the 
General  Assembly,  and  also  of  appeals  to  that  court, 
would  need  limitation  ; and  then  the  sooner  the  native 
ministers  outnumber  the  foreign,  the  greater  our 
thankfulness  to  God.  Signal  examples  could  be  cited 
to  show  that  our  Church  system  works  well  on  heathen 
ground  in  these  matters,  as,  for  example,  in  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Ningpo,  China.  But  these  must  be  passed 
by  for  want  of  space ; as  also  any  remarks  to  show 
the  happy  influence,  in  various  ways,  of  the  mission- 
ary Presbyteries  on  the  Church  at  home  with  which 
they  are  connected. 

The  somewhat  divergent  opinions  in  minor  matters 
among  the  friends  of  presbyterial  organizations  must 
be  barely  mentioned.  Differences  as  to  matters  of 
doctrine  we  do  not  class  as  minor,  but  it  may  be  sug- 
gested that  the  creeds  of  infant  churches  among  the 
heathen  need  not  be  as  complete  or  extended  as 
among  advanced  Christian  nations  ; the  idea  of  the 
Church  as  bearing  witness  to  the  truth,  does  not,  we 
apprehend,  require  the  same  standards  to  be  adopted 
by  all,  irrespective  of  their  Christian  knowledge.  As 
to  differences  on  points  of  church  order,  they  can  be 


352 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


harmonized  by  the  adoption  of  a good  method,  one 
founded  on  scriptural  principles,  and  one  which 
should  fairly  represent  all  sides  of  the  case — a sub- 
ject which  remains  to  be  considered.  For  some  of 
the  matters  thus  far  outlined,  and  for  others  relating 
to  the  subject,  the  writer  of  this  paper  may  be  per- 
mitted to  refer  to  two  articles  in  the  Princeton  Review, 
of  April,  1864,  on  the  Supervision  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions [reprinted  in  part  in  this  volume],  and  of  Jan- 
uary, 1876,  on  Church  Questions  in  Foreign  Missions. 

SECOND. 

The  method  of  forming  Missionary  Presbyteries 
should  have  respect  to  the  ministers  and  churches 
with  their  ruling  elders  in  each  country,  and  also  to 
the  mother  Church,  by  which  they  must  be  supported 
for  a time.  It  will  differ  in  its  provisions,  according 
to  the  sole  or  the  joint  occupancy  of  the  field.  The 
method  recommended  to  the  General  Assembly  which 
met  at  Saratoga  last  year  [1879],  *s  the  one  which  was 
prepared  by  a previously  appointed  special  committee 
of  the  Assembly,  and  is  substantially  the  same  as  that 
of  a preceding  committee  of  the  same  body,  after 
careful  consideration  by  each.  It  is  here  inserted 
for  examination  by  our  readers.  If  not  deemed 
satisfactory,  it  may  suggest  a better  method.  It  is 
as  follows  : 

“ Your  Committee,  before  considering  the  plan  in 
detail,  and  after  full  discussion,  unanimously  adopted 
the  following : 

“ ‘ Resolved,  That  wherever  a Presbytery  is  consti- 


MI  SSI  ON  A R V PRESS  Y SERIES. 


353 


tuted  on  missionary  ground,  the  foreign  missionaries, 
with  the  native  ministers  within  its  bounds,  should 
be  members  of  such  Presbytery,  with  representation 
of  the  several  churches  by  ruling  elders,  as  provided 
by  the  form  of  government.’ 

“ The  plan  as  amended  and  submitted  for  adoption 
is  as  follows  : 

“/.  In  countries  occupied  by  the  Board  only. 

“ i.  The  native  churches  in  the  missions  may  be 
organized  into  Presbyteries,  and  eventually  into 
Synods,  if  not  already  so  organized,  at  their  discre- 
tion as  to  the  time  of  organization,  and  according  to 
their  convenience  as  to  boundaries. 

“ 2.  Each  Presbytery  shall  consist  of  all  the  minis- 
ters, native  and  foreign,  not  less  than  five  in  num- 
ber, and  a ruling  elder  from  each  church  within  its 
bounds. 

“ 3.  Native  as  well  as  foreign  ministers  and  elders 
of  such  Presbyteries  may  be  sent  as  commissioners 
to  the  General  Assembly  ; but  overtures  contemplat- 
ing changes  in  church  matters  in  this  country  shall 
not  be  transmitted  to  any  of  these  missionary  Pres- 
byteries for  their  votes. 

“4,  The  Presbyteries  may  look  to  the  General 
Assembly  for  all  needed  direction,  counsel,  and  sup- 
port until  they  become  prepared  to  be  independent. 

“ 5.  Appeals  from  church  judicatories  shall  for  the 
present  terminate  with  the  highest  judicatory  in 
each  country,  excepting  that  the  foreign  missionary 
members,  in  cases  affecting  their  personal  character 
or  their  ministerial  standing,  may  appeal  from  the 


354 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


highest  local  judicatory  to  the  next  highest  judicatory 
in  the  United  States  to  which  they  are  constitution- 
ally amenable. 

“6.  The  Presbyteries  and  the  Synods,  wherever 
formed,  should  send  to  the  General  Assembly  copies 
of  their  Minutes,  Narrative  of  the  State  of  Religion, 
and  Statistical  Reports. 

“ II.  In  countries  occupied  by  the  Board  and  by  the 
missions  of  other  Presbyterian  denominations. 

“ i.  Missionary  Presbyteries  and  Synods  which  hold 
the  same  faith  and  order  should  be  encouraged  to 
enter  into  organic  church  relations  with  each  other, 
in  any  country  in  which  the  missions  of  more  than 
one  Presbyterian  body  are  conducted. 

“ 2.  When  such  relations  are  formed,  the  connec- 
tions and  relations  of  the  churches  and  members  of 
Presbytery  with  the  General  Assembly  shall  be  in  the 
manner  and  to  the  extent  set  forth  in  the  preceding 
paragraph  of  this  Minute,  with  the  proviso  that  the 
Assembly  will  sanction  the  principle  of  distributive 
representation,  and  that  only  such  ministers  and 
churches  of  such  judicatory  shall  be  recognized  by 
the  Assembly  as  entitled  to  representation  therein, 
as  would  be  so  entitled  if  they  were  upon  a field  oc- 
cupied by  the  Board  alone. 

“ 3.  Missionary  Presbyteries  and  Synods  formed  on 
a union  basis  shall  have  full  powers  to  decide  finally 
on  all  cases  that  may  come  before  them,  having  rela- 
tion solely  to  native  members,  office-bearers,  or 
churches. 


MISSIONARY  PRESBYTERIES. 


355 


“ III.  In  regard  to  Church  Standards. 

“ It  shall  be  referred  to  the  missionary  Synods,  or 
if  there  are  no  Synods,  to  the  Presbyteries  which  con- 
tain at  least  three  foreign  members,  to  take  order 
concerning  Articles  of  Faith,  Government,  Discipline, 
Directory  of  Public  Worship,  and  Rules  for  Judica- 
tories. It  shall  be  left  to  their  judgment  to  deter- 
mine the  parts  that  ought  to  be  included  in  their 
action  on  these  subjects,  having  a wise  reference  to 
the  degree  of  Christian  knowledge  and  advancement 
whereunto  the  native  churches  have  attained  ; but 
the  condition  is  herein  expressly  made,  that,  in  these 
Standards,  nothing  contrary  to  the  Standards  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America 
shall  be  adopted.  It  is  further  required  that  copies 
of  the  Standards  thus  adopted  shall  be  transmitted 
to  the  General  Assembly  for  approval.” 

This  plan  was  not  adopted  in  all  its  parts  by  the 
General  Assembly,  but  the  paper  adopted  is  a good 
one  as  far  as  it  goes.  It  is  contained  in  the  Minutes 
of  General  Assembly  of  1879,  Page  620.  It  is  feared 
by  some  that  the  Assembly’s  Minute  does  not  suffi- 
ciently provide  for  certain  practical  cases  ; for  this 
reason,  further  consideration  of  the  subject  is  invited. 
It  is  not  needful  here  to  enter  at  any  length  into  a 
discussion  of  the  subject.  An  inspection  of  a plan 
is  often  better  than  a long  argument  on  its  merits, 
especially  to  such  readers  as  are  likely  to  examine 
this  paper.  We  may  state  briefly  that  the  parts  of 
the  report  which  were  not  favored  by  the  Assembly 


356 


MISSION  A R Y PAPERS. 


relate  to  appeals,  to  representations  in  cases  of  several 
missions  in  the  same  field,  and  to  the  Subordinate 
Standards  of  Faith.  As  to  the  last,  and  indeed  to 
all  three,  it  may  be  stated,  without  any  doubt,  that 
nobody  was  in  favor  of  the  third  section  from  any 
tendencies  to  change  the  doctrinal  standards  of  the 
Church  at  home,  and  certainly  not  in  any  “ Broad 
Church  ” sense.  A shorter  and  simpler  creed  seems 
best  at  first  for  churches  amongst  heathen  peoples  of 
low  intelligence,  most  of  whose  ministers  and  elders 
are  little  advanced  in  their  knowledge  of  theological 
questions,  and  who  will,  moreover,  have  to  confess 
their  faith  in  view  of  conditions  very  different  from 
those  in  which  our  admirable  Confession  of  Faith 
was  formed, — indeed,  under  conditions  not  unlike 
those  of  the  earliest  Christian  Churches,  whose  creeds 
were  models  of  simplicity  and  brevity. 

The  paragraph  restricting  the  right  of  appeals  rests 
on  the  practical  difficulties  of  the  case  if  the  usual 
course  were  pursued, — difficulties  growing  out  of  dif- 
ference of  language,  distance,  etc. ; and  also  on  the 
ground  that  the  proviso  here  recommended  would, 
for  the  present,  answer  all  practical  purposes.  The 
paragraphs  relating  to  representation  in  the  home 
Church,  it  is  hoped,  will  receive  careful  study.  Where 
but  one  Presbyterian  mission  is  in  the  field,  the  pro- 
posed arrangements  for  this  purpose  are  at  once 
simple  and  such  as  are  usual  among  American 
Churches  of  our  order ; but  where  three  or  four  mis- 
sions are  in  the  same  country,  the  case  is  more  diffi- 
cult, and  also  more  urgently  in  need  of  adjustment. 


MISSIONARY  PRESBYTERIES. 


357 


In  Yedo,  for  example,  missionaries  of  three  Presby- 
terian bodies,  holding  the  same  views  of  doctrine  and 
church  order,  are  conducting  their  evangelistic  work 
among  people  who  speak  the  same  language,  live  in 
the  same  streets,  and  often  are  connected  closely  by 
ties  of  kindred  and  family.  It  is  unreasonable  to 
expect  that  the  native  ministers,  licentiate  preachers, 
candidates  for  the  ministry,  churches  and  schools, 
should  be  divided  among  three  foreign  denomina- 
tions. We  are  told,  indeed,  that  the  Churches  at 
home  must  first  be  united,  and  then  their  mission- 
aries and  their  converts  will  follow  their  example. 
As  well  might  we  insist  that  Germany  and  Ireland 
should  become  one  country  before  their  emigrating 
people  could  become  American  citizens  ; or  else  that 
these  citizens  of  foreign  birth  should  perpetuate  here 
their  former  divisions. 

It  is  understood  that  the  reason  of  chief  weight 
with  the  General  Assembly,  adverse  to  the  method 
recommended  in  the  Report  of  its  Committee,  was  a 
grave  doubt  of  the  constitutional  power  of  the  As- 
sembly to  make  such  changes  ; and,  certainly,  in  this 
country,  such  changes  could  be  made  only  in  the 
prescribed  way,  by  overture  to  the  Presbyteries.  But 
is  not  the  case  abroad  a different  one?  We  respect- 
fully suggest,  that  the  Constitution  of  each  Church, 
including  its  legal  charter,  is  limited  to  its  own  coun- 
try, and  has  no  ecclesiastical  or  legal  force  in  foreign 
countries,  excepting  in  its  application  to  its  own 
ministers  and  members,  such  as  its  foreign  mission- 
aries. These  lose  no  home  rights  by -going  abroad, 


358 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


any  more  than  the  consuls  and  ambassadors  of  the 
Government  represented  by  them.  In  strict  theory, 
“the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America”  has  no  jurisdiction  over  Presbyterian 
Churches  in  Japan  or  China.  Chapter  xviii.  of  its 
Form  of  Government  contains  ample  warrant  for  our 
foreign  missions,  so  far  as  their  origin  and  their  sup- 
port are  concerned,  and  also  the  superintendence  of 
its  own  ministers  and  members  engaged  in  these  mis- 
sions. With  these,  in  strict  construction,  its  consti- 
tutional power  terminates,  as  we  suppose.  But  there 
is  still  a large  province  in  which  its  Christian  wisdom 
may  be  invoked  for  aid.  Questions  of  moment  in 
our  foreign  work  may  often  well  receive  the  consider- 
ation of  our  Church  courts,  for  counsel,  sympathy, 
and  direction  within  certain  limits.  The  greatest 
reason  of  all  justifies  such  action  on  their  part. 
These  things  appertain  to  the  missionary  work,  which 
concerns  the  glory  of  Christ  our  Lord,  and  therefore 
concerns  his  Church.  We  should  say  that  this  is 
specially  true  of  infant  churches  planted  by  our  mis- 
sionaries. For  the  present,  they  need  the  fostering 
care  of  the  mother  Church.  After  a while,  they  will 
be  able  to  walk  without  help,  and  then  let  them  set 
up  for  themselves, — the  sooner,  the  better. 

A good  method  has  much  to  do  with  our  success. 
This  we  may  too  readily  forget,  in  our  deep  convic- 
tion that  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  faith  in  him,  a 
holy  life,  a blessed  entrance  into  heaven,  are  the 
great  things  — yes,  the  greatest.  We  cherish  them 
above  everything  else.  And  it  is  for  their  sake  that 


MISSIONAR  Y PRESB  YTERIES. 


359 


we  prize  the  best  way  of  seeking  their  possession 
and  of  spreading  abroad  the  knowledge  of  them 
among  all  nations.  We  have  long  been  persuaded 
that  in  our  own  Church  we  have  the  best  method  of 
missionary  labor;  at  any  rate,  the  best  for  us.  May 
it  ever  be  moved  by  the  indwelling  Spirit  of  power 
and  grace  ! — The  Catholic  Presbyterian , June,  1880. 


LXVII. 

MISSIONARY  PRESBYTERIES  AND  THE  HOME 
CHURCH. 

As  to  Presbyteries  in  missionary  fields  there  is 
some  diversity  of  opinion.  In  the  missions  of  the 
late  Old  School  part  of  the  Church,  it  was  orderly  to 
form  Presbyteries  in  all  countries  in  which  three  or 
more  ministers  were  found,  and  they  were  authorized 
to  ordain  native  ministers,  duly  qualified  and  called, 
whose  names  were  reported  to  the  General  Assembly, 
together  with  all  the  native  churches,  and  regularly 
entered  on  the  Assembly’s  Minutes.  In  some  of  the 
missions  received  by  transfer  from  the  American 
Board  in  1870,  though  the  ordained  missionaries  were 
nearly  all  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  its  usual  forms 
had  not  been  fully  adopted  in  some  of  the  local 
organizations  ; partly,  no  doubt,  because  brethren  of 
two  denominations  and  their  churches  were  connected 


360 


MI  SSI ON  A R Y PAPERS. 


with  the  same  missionary  board.  At  present  the  tend- 
ency of  opinion,  both  in  the  churches  at  home  and 
the  missions  abroad,  it  is  understood,  favors  the  form- 
ing of  Presbyteries  in  the  missions  on  the  same  prin- 
ciples as  at  home.  The  Church  acts  in  the  spread  of 
the  Gospel,  not  as  a society,  nor  merely  from  public 
sentiment,  but  under  a divine  commission.  In  fulfil- 
ling its  great  work  as  a Church,  its  sense  of  Christian 
duty  is  clear,  and  is  closely  connected  with  the  welfare 
of  the  native  churches.  Both  unite  well  in  the  work 
of  evangelization.  But  here  important  questions 
arise,  to  one  of  which  careful  attention  is  now  invited. 

Should  the  churches  and  presbyteries  in  the  coun- 
tries occupied  by  our  foreign  missions  stand  in  eccle- 
siastical relations  with  the  home  churches  or  be  inde- 
pendent of  them  ? This  is  a question  closely  connect- 
ed with  the  subject  of  co-operation  by  the  home 
churches  in  this  work,  especially  in  the  case  of  two 
or  more  Presbyterian  Churches  laboring  in  the  same 
field.  Eventually  all  parties  look  to  the  native 
churches  becoming  independent  of  the  home  Church  ; 
but  while  they  are  in  a state  of  infancy,  and  until 
they  are  able  in  some  good  measure  to  support  their 
own  ministry,  is  it  expedient  that  they  should  be 
placed  on  an  independent  basis  ? 

The  reasons  for  independent  organization  are  partly 
of  a practical  nature  and  partly  theoretical.  The 
former  seem  to  rest  on  the  idea  that  the  same  methods 
of  representation  and  appellate  jurisdiction  must  be 
adopted  by  the  native  churches  and  ministers  as  are 
usual  in  the  Church  at  home,  if  ecclesiastical  relations 


MISSIONAR  Y PRESS  V TERIES.  36 1 

are  to  be  maintained  between  them.  Hence,  it  is 
alleged  that  difference  of  language  and  remote  dis- 
tance would  make  organic  relations  inconvenient,  if 
not  impracticable.  Conceding  some  weight  to  this 
statement  of  the  case,  it  may  yet  be  claimed  that  it 
assumes  a rigid  uniformity  of  procedure  that  is  not 
verified  in  the  history  of  Presbyterian  Churches  in 
different  countries,  nor  justified  by  the  providential 
circumstances  of  the  case.  Considerable  diversities  of 
practice  already  exist,  and  it  may  be  presumed  that 
existing  usages  will  be  modified  to  meet  the  exigencies 
of  the  native  church.  Limiting  cases  of  appeal,  or 
terminating  them  with  the  highest  court  in  each 
country,  placing  representation  in  the  home  churches 
on  a distributive  or  some  other  basis,  etc.,  are 
examples  of  modifications  that  may  be  deemed  ex- 
pedient. 

Theoretical  reasons  for  the  independence  of  native 
churches  in  each  country  may  result  from  the  general 
idea  of  independency  as  a form  of  church  govern- 
ment. On  this  theory  provision  must  be  made  for 
fulfilling  duties  in  the  mission  field  to  which  local 
churches  are  inadequate,  and,  therefore,  it  is  held  by 
some  that  missionaries  are  to  be  distinguished  from 
other  ministers.  They  are  not  to  be  connected  with 
the  native  churches,  except  as  counsellors  and  advis- 
ers. On  the  theory  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  as  to  . 
the  ministry,  it  must  be  owned  that  it  is  difficult  to 
give  a presbyterial  status  to  foreign  ordained  mission- 
aries, if  we  adopt  these  independent  views.  But 
waiving  this,  the  influence  of  such  brethren  as  coun- 
16 


3 6a 


MISSIONAR  V PAPERS. 


sellors  would  be  greater  within  than  without  the  local 
presbytery ; while  their  standing  outside,  giving 
advice,  would  be  likely  to  result  in  their  giving  direc- 
tions, as  if  they  were  prelates.  Indeed,  there  is  risk 
of  the  foreign  ministers  gradually  exercising  powers 
that  do  not  belong  to  them,  and  so  the  parity  of  the 
ministry  becomes  seriously  invaded,  as  was  sadly  the 
case  in  the  early  centuries. 

Another  theoretical  reason  for  independent  native 
churches  grows  out  of  regarding  foreign  missionaries 
as  evangelists.  Views  are  sometimes  advocated  of 
the  office  of  an  evangelist,  which  tend  to  place  in  the 
hands  of  missionaries  certain  functions  of  church 
government  and  ordination.  But  the  office  of  an 
evangelist  co  nomine , like  that  of  “ apostles  and  proph- 
ets,” was  probably  special  and  temporary,  limited 
to  the  early  age  of  the  Christian  Church.  Or,  if 
stress  be  laid  on  “ the  work  of  an  evangelist  ” as  still 
abiding,  it  may  be  such  work  as  is  common  to  all 
Christians,  described  in  Acts  viii.  1-4 ; or  else  it  may 
be  work  included  in  the  functions  of  the  ordinary 
ministers  of  the  Church.  Certainly  no  idea  of  an 
evangelist  can  be  entertained  now  that  would  place 
the  power  of  ordination  solely  in  his  hands,  without 
reference  to  the  “ laying  on  of  the  hands,  of  the 
Presbytery.”  Even  if  foreign  missionaries  were  evan- 
gelists it  is  not  apparent  how  they  could  be  regularly 
connected  with  an  independent  church. 

On  the  other  hand,  good  reasons  recommend  a 
qualified  organic  relation  between  the  missionary  and 
the  mother  churches,  to  continue  until  the  former 


t 


MISSIONAR  Y PRESB  Y TERIES.  363 

reach  the  ground  or  stage  of  self-support.  These 
may  be  briefly  stated  as  follows  : 

1.  The  real  relationship  is  that  of  parent  and  child. 
For  a time  the  native  church  is  necessarily  dependent 
on  the  mother  church  ; eventually  it  will  be  strong 
enough  to  walk  alone.  In  the  meantime  it  does  not 
seem  to  be  wise  to  encourage  native  presbyterial  or- 
ganization independently  of  the  Church  by  which  it 
is  chiefly  supported,  and  by  which  the  mission  is 
altogether  supported.  So  far  as  the  native  churches 
are  concerned  they  are  at  first  not  only  too  feeble  in 
pecuniary  means,  but  too  immature  in  knowledge  and 
Christian  character,  to  undertake  the  somewhat  diffi- 
cult duties  of  government  and  discipline.  As  well 
might  such  duties  be  assigned,  in  many  cases,  to  the 
baptized  children  of  our  home  churches  who  are 
under  ten  years  of  age. 

2.  The  office  and  the  essential  duties  of  the  foreign 
and  the  native  ministers  are  so  much  the  same  that 
they  properly  rest  on  the  same  ground,  ecclesiastically, 
abroad  as  at  home.  All  the  ministers  and  a ruling 
elder  from  each  church,  within  certain  geographical 
boundaries,  should  constitute  the  Presbytery.  In  its 
broad  limits  ministers  and  elders  of  different  gifts, 
acquirements,  social  position,  etc.,  meet  together  as 
Christian  brethren.  One  of  our  American  Presby- 
teries has  on  its  roll  ministers  of  Scotch,  Irish,  French, 
German,  and  other  European  birth  and  training,  and 
many  men  from  different  parts  of  our  own  country, 
including  men  of  African  descent,  and  Hebrews — 
ministers  who  differ  very  widely  in  many  respects, 


364 


M I SSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


but  who  are  all  catholic,  sympathetic,  and  happily 
united  in  common  service  for  Christ.  Distinctions  of 
ecclesiastical  position  are  to  be  deprecated  in  the  mis- 
sion field,  while  different  kinds  of  work  may  yet  be 
conducted  satisfactorily  there  as  at  home.  In  the 
presbytery  the  usual  order  of  church  life  and  action 
can  be  well  exemplified.  Certain  dangers  are  therein 
best  averted,  as  of  undue  lordship  on  the  one  side 
and  distance  on  the  other ; these  interpose  a barrier 
or  chasm  between  parties  that  ought  to  be  closely 
united.  In  this  way,  moreover,  mutual  aid  and 
Christian  sympathy  may  best  be  shared  by  both 
parties  as  in  a family.  It  was  in  this  way,  it  may  be 
held,  that  the  apostolic  churches  were  organized, 
governed,  strengthened,  and  qualified*  for  the  highest 
degree  of  usefulness. 

3.  By  the  union  of  the  native  church  and  the 
mother  church  the  great  principles  of  Authority  and 
Representation  are  best  subserved.  At  first  inde- 
pendency tends  to  ignore  these  great  matters.  Its 
practical  working  too  easily  may  become  chaotic. 
The  influence  of  the  foreign  members  of  presbytery 
is  at  once  conservative  and  progressive,  and  well 
suited  to  be  of  service  to  the  native  members. 

4.  This  union  is  of  great  influence  in  developing 
the  work  of  self-support  among  the  native  churches, 
and  also  the  work  of  extending  a missionary  spirit 
among  them.  Too  often  this  is  a work  of  slow  prog- 
ress. Its  attainment  would  be  expedited  by  close 
relations  between  the  parent  church  and  the  infant 
churches  abroad.  The  correct  views  of  the  former 


MISSIONAR  Y PRESS  Y TERIES.  36  5 

would  be  influential  with  the  latter,  in  a ratio  with  the 
nearness  of  their  relations  to  each  other.  The  mis- 
sionaries would  enjoy  more  frequent  opportunities  as 
members  of  the  same  presbytery  with  their  native 
brethren  of  calling  their  attention  to  these  subjects, 
and  their  influence  would  be  far  greater  than  if  they 
were  standing  at  a distance  and  members  of  a pres- 
bytery in  a foreign  country. 

5.  Such  union  is  of  great  service  to  the  foreign 
missionary.  It  brings  him  into  the  best  relations  with 
the  native  brethren.  It  secures  for  him  their  friendly 
watch  and  care,  often  a conservative  influence  of  in- 
valuable benefit,  especially  as  contrasted  with  the 
virtual  irresponsibility  as  to  ecclesiastical  supervision 
which  exists  if  his  connection  is  only  with  a presby- 
tery in  a distant  country.  It  gives  him  the  finest 
opportunities  of  usefulness.  All  of  these  advantages 
are  enjoyed  in  a less  degree,  and  under  conditions 
more  or  less  embarrassing,  on  the  opposite  theory. 

6.  Such  union  is  of  indispensable  benefit  to  the 
home  Church  in  its  missionary  work.  It  tends  to 
bring  the  mission  field,  and  especially  the  infant 
churches  in  it,  near  the  heart  of  the  Christian  brethren 
who  are  united  in  their  support.  It  calls  forth  in 
behalf  of  the  native  ministers  and  churches  such 
sympathy  and  aid  as  spring  from  church  fellowship. 
In  a word,  it  fosters  the  spirit  of  missions  at  home. 

Briefly  as  most  of  these  reasons  have  been  stated, 
they  seem  to  favor  joint  ecclesiastical  relations  be- 
tween the  missionary  and  the  home  churches.  A 
careful  examination  of  apostolic  usage  and  of  early 


366 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Church  History  would,  it  is  believed,  sustain  the  same 
conclusion. — Second  General  Council , Presbyteria?i  Al- 
liance, 1880,  pages  1144-1146. 


LXVIII. 

“FOREIGN  MISSIONS:  THEIR  RELATIONS 
AND  CLAIMS.” 

This  is  the  title  of  a recent  book  by  the  Rev.  R. 
Anderson,  D.D.,  for  many  years  the  Senior  Secretary 
of  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.  It  is 
published  by  Charles  Scribner  & Co.,  New  York.  We 
wish  to  commend  it  warmly  to  the  attention  of  our 
readers.  Its  venerable  author,  by  long  and  varied  ex- 
perience in  the  administration  of  the  missions  of  the 
American  Board,  and  by  wide  observation  of  the  mis- 
sions of  other  Boards,  is  qualified  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree to  write  on  missionary  subjects,  and  this  book 
could  have  been  written  only  by  one  thus  qualified. 
It  may  be  regarded  as  embodying  the  author’s  theory 
of  the  best  way  of  conducting  the  work  of  missions, 
particularly  as  this  work  is  developed  in  the  mission- 
ary field  ; but  the  theoretical  and  the  practical  are 
combined,  and  it  seems  to  us  usually  with  great  and 
good  judgment. 

The  book  is  written  mainly  from  a Congregational 
stand-point,  so  far  as  questions  of  church  government 
are  concerned ; but  the  author’s  views  are  not  present- 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 


367 


ed  in  a controversial  form,  and  sometimes  rather  un- 
derlie the  current  of  remark -than  appear  in  a positive 
shape.  It  is  not  his  object  to  discuss  such  questions, 
but  they  can  not  be  ignored  in  the  practical  work  of 
giving  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen,  any  more  than  in 
building  up  churches  at  home.  We  may  refer  to  the 
chapters  on  the  “ Development  of  the  idea  of  the 
Christian  Church,”  the  “ Characteristics  of  the  Apos- 
tolic Church,”  “ The  Principles  and  Methods  of  Mod- 
ern Missions,”  for  views  which  either  affirm  or  imply 
the  Congregational  idea  of  the  Church.  No  Presby- 
terian, we  suppose,  who  understood  his  own  system, 
could  discuss  these  subjects  without  reaching  the  con- 
clusion that  the  Church  as  such  is  a divinely  appointed 
missionary  society,  as  shown  by  Scripture  texts  and  ex- 
amples. Some  of  these  the  respected  author  of  this 
book  quotes  without  drawing  this  inference  from 
them,  but  we  are  persuaded  this  is  their  true  mean- 
ing. Resting  the  work  of  missions,  both  in  its  war- 
rant and  in  its  general  administration,  on  this  sacred 
ground,  we  have  the  will  of  God  in  this  matter  as  one 
of  the  main  supports  and  encouragements  in  our 
Christian  duty.  See  this  theory  admirably  presented 
in  Dr.  Edward  P.  Humphrey’s  Sermon,  in  the  Foreign 
Missionary , October,  1857. 

We  fully  agree  with  the  author  as  to  the  impor- 
tance of  “ local  churches,”  and  we  trust  his  varied  and 
excellent  instruction  concerning  them  will  be  well  con- 
sidered, especially  by  our  missionary  brethren.  But 
we  would  not  make  these  churches  “ self-governing  ” 
in  India  or  China,  in  any  different  sense  from  what  is 


368 


MISSIONARY  PAPER S. 


understood  and  practiced  in  the  presbyterian  churches 
of  our  own  country ; the  principles  which  should 
control  the  subject  are  the  same  in  all  countries. 
Greatly  as  the  author’s  views  are  to  be  valued  con- 
cerning these  native  churches,  we  could  hardly  join 
him  in  saying,  “ The  first  duty  of  a missionary  is  to 
gather  such  a church.”  Rather,  his  first  and  last  duty 
is  to  preach  the  Gospel.  Then,  when  the  Holy  Spirit 
has  made  the  word  effectual  unto  salvation,  gather 
the  converts  into  the  church.  As  churches  are  multi- 
plied, unite  them  in  presbyteries,  abroad  just  as  at 
home.  Nor  should  we  separate  the  foreign  ministers 
from  these  presbyteries.  This  is  a point  of  much 
practical  moment.  “ The  ecclesiastical  bodies  for  na- 
tive churches  and  pastors  should  be  exclusively  for 
them  ; the  missionaries  sustaining  only  the  relation  of 
advisers  ” ; — which,  we  respectfully  submit,  is  to  treat 
the  latter  as  neither  Presbyterian  nor  Congregational 
ministers,  but  quasi  bishops,  and  virtually  to  separate 
them  from  presbyterial  supervision,  while  it  works  to 
the  serious  disadvantage  both  of  the  foreign  and  na- 
tive members  of  the  mission — see  this  question  con- 
sidered in  an  article  on  the  Supervision  of  Foreign 
Missions,  in  the  Princeton  Review , a few  years  ago, 
and  reprinted  in  these  papers. 

Before  passing  from  these  questions  of  church  gov- 
ernment in  missions,  we  should  quote  the  respected 
author’s  remark  on  page  159.  “I  should  add  that 
missionary  societies  and  missions,  though  technically 
speaking  not  ecclesiastical  bodies,  have  become  (as 
has  been  elsewhere  affirmed)  a component  part  of  the 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 


369 


great  modern  structure  of  the  Christian  Church,  as  it 
is  being  organized  under  God’s  providence  for  the 
conversion  of  the  world  ; and  they  should  be  permit- 
ted to  sustain  the  responsibilities  and  perform  the 
duties  that  are  essential  to  the  prosecution  of  the 
missionary  work  on  the  broad  scale  of  the  world.” 
In  accordance  with  this  is  the  suggestion,  in  the  next 
chapter,  that  Ecclesiastical  and  Voluntary  Boards  are 
on  the  same  footing.  We  need  not  enter  on  this  sub- 
ject. Our  old  theory  of  the  Church,  as  it  is  presented 
in  our  Presbyterian  Standards,  seems  to  us  certainly 
well  adapted  to  all  missionary  purposes,  as  we  should 
expect  from  its  being  of  divine  warrant.  The  only 
proviso  we  need  to  make  is,  that  it  be  moved  and 
governed  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ ; and  without  this,  no 
theory  will  work  well.  Referring  to  our  method  of  re- 
ducing it  to  practice,  however,  we  could  wish  that  the 
business  coming  before  our  General  Assembly  should 
be  so  modified  that  the  Assembly  could  devote  more 
time  to  the  cause  of  Foreign  Missions.  This  would  ena- 
ble this  body  to  hear  and  consider  reports  from  its  Stand- 
ing Committees,  one  on  each  of  the  great  missionary 
fields,  Africa,  China,  etc.,  as  these  are  brought  to  the 
Assembly’s  attention  by  its  Foreign  Board.  And  we 
should  be  glad  to  see  an  equal  amount  of  time  given 
by  the  Assembly  to  the  various  Home  Boards.  Thus 
we  should  hope  to  gain  all  that  is  important  in  the 
large  “ Annual  Meetings  ” and  “ Delegate  Meetings  ” 
of  other  missionary  bodies,  so  far  as  popular  impres- 
sion and  influence  are  concerned  ; so  far  as  every- 
thing else  is  concerned,  we  would  exchange  our  Gen- 
16* 


370 


MIS  SI ON  A R Y PAPERS. 


eral  Assembly  for  no  other  leading  agency  in  the 
work  of  missions. 

If  our  space  permitted,  we  should  like  to  refer  to 
the  subject  of  education  as  presented  in  this  book,  on 
pages  1 1 3,  1 14.  As  a part  of  missionary  work,  it  is 
here  restricted  to  the  children  of  the  native  churches 
mainly,  if  we  correctly  understand  it.  Its  province 
seems  to  us  broader,  however,  and  if  employed  as  a 
converting  agency,  when  Providence  permits,  we  think 
missionary  schools  are  of  very  great  value ; yet  the 
danger  of  their  becoming  schools  chiefly  of  secular 
learning  needs  to  be  watched.  The  question  of  their 
use  turns  not  a little  on  the  door  opened  for  them, 
and  more  on  the  motive  and  aim  with  which  they  are 
conducted.  The  same  reason  forbids  our  trying  to 
controvert  respectfully  the  author’s  opinion,  that  “ no 
white  man  should  join  their  missions,”  that  is,  mis- 
sions in  Africa.  It  is  not  a question  of  color  or  race, 
but  of  talents,  education,  and  grace,  that  should  be 
considered  here.  Give  us  the  same  qualifications  in 
a colored  man  as  in  a white  man,  and  give  us  a suffi- 
cient number  of  such  well-qualified  laborers,  and  all 
will  go  on  well ; but  in  the  meantime,  why  should 
not  white  missionaries  as  well  as  white  merchants  be 
found  in  Africa?  As  to  the  general  subject  which  is 
often  referred  to  in  this  book,  the  purely  spiritual 
nature  of  the  means  to  be  employed  in  the  work  of 
missions,  we  have  felt  at  times  that  the  opinions  ex- 
pressed stand  in  some  need  of  modification.  We 
would  not  say  that  a missionary  stationed  among  the 
Africans,  for  instance,  was  not  at  liberty  to  give  them 


WHA  T PRESB  YTERIES  CAN  DO. 


37i 


instruction  as  to  a better  way  of  clothing  themselves 
or  obtaining  a support  from  the  ground.  Much  de- 
pends in  such  cases  on  the  leadings  of  Providence  ; 
and  everything  on  the  motives  and  aims  of  the  mis- 
sionary ; especially  should  it  be  always  clear  that  he 
was  pursuing  a disinterested  course. 

While  thus  referring  to  some  things  in  regard  to 
which  we  would  respectfully  dissent  from  the  positions 
taken  in  this  book,  it  gives  us  great  pleasure  to  refer 
to  the  much  greater  number  of  subjects  here  discuss- 
ed, which  every  reader  will  regard  with  approval  and 
often  with  deep  emotion.  The  chapters  on  “ Mission- 
ary Life  Illustrated,”  “ Hindrances  at  Home,”  “ Diffu- 
sion of  Missions,”  “ Success  of  Missions,”  etc.,  will  be 
found  to  be  full  of  interesting  and  valuable  views  and 
information  ; but  our  narrow  limits  preclude  further 
notice  of  this  truly  valuable  work. 


LXIX. 

WHAT  PRESBYTERIES  CAN  DO. 

“We  defer,  of  course,  to  the  judgment  of  Presby- 
teries on  the  ground.  If  they  are  able  to  furnish  the 
men  and  the  means  needed  for  Indian  work  in  their 
bounds,  we  would  be  glad  to  see  them  engage  in  it, 
and  take  the  full  control  of  it ; but  if,  for  the  pecuni- 
ary support  of  the  work,  resort  must  be  had  to  the 
Church  at  large,  then  it  is  best  to  do  so  in  the  way 


37- 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


pointed  out  by  the  General  Assembly.  We  think 
there  is  no  Board  that  would  not  gladly  concur  with 
the  counsel  or  the  action  of  a Presbytery,  so  far  as 
practicable.” 

We  reprint  this  paragraph  from  the  last  number  of 
the  Record , to  recall  attention  to  it,  and  to  enlarge  its 
application.  The  action  suggested  need  not  be  re- 
stricted to  Presbyteries  that  have  Indians  in  their 
bounds.  We  see  not  why  similar  action’ would  not 
be  proper  in  all  cases — in  Africa,  or  China,  or  else- 
where. It  is,  no  doubt,  true  that  most  Presbyteries 
in  our  foreign  fields  have  but  very  limited  pecuniary 
means  at  command,  or  available  from  churches  or  in- 
dividuals under  their  care.  But  let  a beginning  be 
made  as  soon  as  practicable.  Let  the  aim  be  to  de- 
velop self-support,  and  also  effort  for  the  spread  of 
the  Gospel,  at  the  earliest  time.  If  the  churches  can 
give  but  little,  they  will  be  accepted  by  the  Saviour 
for  what  they  have,  and  their  engaging  in  efforts  to 
serve  him  will,  no  doubt,  increase  their  pecuniary 
means.  The  policy  of  deferring  such  action  is  injuri- 
ous, however  laudable  may  be  its  motive.  A vener- 
able missionary,  after  more  than  forty  years’  faithful 
labor,  was  deploring  to  the  writer  of  these  lines  the 
unwillingness  of  his  converts  to  contribute  to  the  sup- 
port and  spread  of  the  Gospel.  He  ascribed  this  un- 
happy result  in  part  to  the  neglect  of  proper  instruc- 
tion, and  this  neglect  itself  proceeded  from  an  amiable 
feeling  with  which  we  all  sympathize.  “ When  we 
first  came  among  them,!’  said  he,  “ we  felt  that  we 
could  not  do  too  much  for  them.”  This  feeling  was 


ENDORSEMENT  OF  OBJECTS. 


373 


worthy  of  praise,  but  its  practical  exercise  our  aged 
friend  mourned  over  as  not  well  adjusted  to  human 
nature  even  under  the  influence  of  divine  grace. 

. If  Presbyteries  in  missionary  fields  can  not  do  much 
in  this  way,  at  least  let  what  is  practicable  receive 
systematic  and  vigorous  attention.  Each  Presbytery, 
especially  when  composed  of  native  and  foreign  mem- 
bers, can  carefully  survey  and  consider  its  immediate 
field  and  all  parts  of  its  work,  giving  patient  and  par- 
ticular attentibn  to  its  interests.  Then  it  can  take  up 
each  case  for  such  action  as  may  be  within  its  ability ; 
and  thus  a church  may  be  encouraged  to  do  all  its 
duty  in  the  support  of  its  pastor.  A young  man  of 
promise  may  be  aided  in  preparing  for  the  ministry. 
Means  may  be  called  forth  for  building  a house  of 
worship,  etc.,  all  on  the  basis  mainly  of  native  or  lo- 
cal expenditure,  rather  than  of  foreign.  All  this  is 
within  the  proper  sphere  of  Presbyteries,  and  the 
united  action  of  their  members — foieign  and  native 
— will  tend  to  secure  the  best  results  in  the  essential 
work  of  self-support  and  the  not  less  essential  work 
of  spreading  the  Gospel.  They  can  do  these  things 
without  reference  to  any  Board. 


LXX. 

ENDORSEMENT  OF  OBJECTS. 

The  Board’s  endorsement  of  objects  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  churches  is  a reasonable  one  which  should 


374 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS.  ■ 


be  welcomed  by  the  friends  of  missions.  We  quote 
two  paragraphs  from  its  rules : 

“ 5.  The  mission  [or  Presbytery]  should  prepare  at 
the  end  of  each  year  a careful  estimate  of  the  prob- 
able necessary  expenses  of  its  work  for  the  year  ensu- 
ing, specifying  the  different  objects  in  detail,  to  be 
forwarded  to  the  Board  the  first  week  in  January. 
When  there  is  more  than  one  station  in  a mission, 
each  station  should  prepare  its  estimates,  to  be  sub- 
mitted for  examination  and  approval  by  the  mission 
at  its  annual  meeting;  and  the  general  estimates  of 
the  mission  should  be  based  on  and  include  these 
station  estimates.  It  is  the  desire  of  the  Board  that 
the  estimates  should  be  so  complete  as  to  preclude 
special  applications  by  the  missionaries  to  churches, 
Sabbath-schools,  or  other  associations,  for  objects  not 
specified  in  them.  No  missionary  should  apply  to 
the  Board  for  funds  for  mission  work,  without  first 
conferring  with  the  mission.  When  these  mission 
estimates  have  been  approved  by  the  Board,  they 
govern  the  expenditure  of  the  year,  and  must  not  be 
exceeded.  If  special  cases  arise,  calling  for  new  ex- 
penditure, they  should  be  made  matters  of  corre- 
spondence with  the  Board,  excepting  when  funds  to 
meet  them  are  proyided  from  other  sources  than  the 
treasury  of  the  Board,  such  as  donations  of  Christian 
friends  at  the  station,  or  from  sources  referred  to  in 
the  next  paragraph. 

“ 6.  The  object  of  missionary  life  must  ever  be  held 
sacred,  that  of  preaching  Christ  and  him  crucified  ; but 
if,  without  turning  aside  from  this  object,  missionaries 


ENDORSEMENT  OF  OBJECTS. 


375 


should  be  led  by  providential  circumstances,  with  the 
consent  of  their  brethren  in  the  mission,  and  the  ap- 
proval of  the  Board,  to  engage  in  work  that  brings  to 
them  pecuniary  remuneration,  the  moneys  so  received 
should  be  turned  over  to  the  treasury  of  the  mission, 
to  be  used  as  local  funds  under  its  direction,  and  to 
be  reported  to  the  Board ; in  such  cases  the  mission- 
aries will  continue  to  draw  their  usual  salaries  from 
the  Board.” 

Here  it  may  be  noted — I.  That  these  estimates  be- 
gin with  the  brethren  in  the  field.  2.  That  their  com- 
mon or  united  judgment  is  sought  as  to  all  parts  of 
their  work.  3.  That  ample  margin  is  given  for  new 
objects.  4.  That  the  approval  of  the  Board  is  need- 
ful. 5.  That  local  gifts  or  income  in  the  mission  is 
left  to  the  disposal  of  its  members.  These  things 
seem  to  combine  free  action  abroad  with  general 
supervision  at  home,  in  a way  not  objectionable  or 
injurious,  and  such  as  may  well  receive  the  confidence 
of  our  churches.  Exception  is  indeed  sometimes 
taken  to  the  second  of  these  provisos ; personal  at- 
tachment sometimes  leads  donors  to  wish  their  gifts 
to  be  expended  by  a particular  missionary,  and  on  the 
other  hand,  missionaries  sometimes,  but  rarely,  wish  to 
have  funds  placed  at  their  personal  disposal.  In  act- 
ual practice,  this  result  is  sometimes  secured  ; but  we 
think  our  readers  generally,  as  we  believe  the  mission- 
aries also  in  most  cases,  approve  the  rule  as  it  stands. 
It  certainly  appears  to  afford  a good  and  sufficient  rea- 
son of  the  judicious  use  of  sacred  funds. 

Exception  has  also  been  taken  to  the  fourth  point 


376 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


— the  approval  of  the  Board,  as  if  it  were  adverse  to 
liberty  of  action.  We  must  not  enter  on  theoretical 
discussions  here,  but  we  may  suggest — I.  That  in 
practice  this  rule  has  seldom  been  complained  of. 
With  missions  in'  so  many  different  countries  every- 
body sees  that  some  directing  organization  is  need- 
ful. If  mistakes  or  evils  of  any  kind  occur,  they  may 
usually  be  ascribed  to  the  imperfection  of  the  agents, 
rather  than  of  the  rule  itself.  But  2.  If  serious  evils 
should  occur,  and  such  as  are  not  remediable  by  kind 
Christian  conference,  then  our  Church  system  pro- 
vides an  authoritative,  easily  understood,  readily  ap- 
plicable way  of  correcting  them. 

The  second  of  these  rules  is  connected  with  the 
first,  as  relating  to  the  expenditure  of  funds;  but  it 
rests  on  other  grounds — mainly  the  securing  of  disin- 
terested missionary  service  ; partly,  the  protection  of 
missionaries  from  injurious  reproach,  as  if  they,  like 
most  other  foreigners,  were  seeking  pecuniary  gain, 
etc. 


LXXI. 

CAN  A MISSIONARY  BOARD  KEEP  OUT 
OF  DEBT? 


Yes,  certainly. 

It  is,  however,  no  easy  matter  sometimes.  Calls  for 
new  or  enlarged  work  are  urgent.  Earnest  friends,  at 
home  and  abroad,  insist  on  advanced  action.  The  plea 


KEEPING  OUT  OF  DEBT. 


377 


of  faith  is  a strong  one:  “You  must  have  faith.  The 
funds  will  come.  Do  not  hesitate,”  etc.  The  Board 
itself  sees  clearly  the  open  doors  for  work,  is  predis- 
posed to  enter  them,  and  feels  assured  that  the  churches 
are  able  to  give  larger  funds. 

Nevertheless,  the  Board  is  but  the  steward  of  the 
Church’s  gifts  to  this  cause,  not  the  proprietor.  It 
must  of  course  act  on  the  principle  of  faith  ; but  faith 
is  not  blind,  and  must  have  reference  to  the  revealed 
will  of  God  and  to  the  leadings  of  his  Providence — 
the  latter  as  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  former,  but  yet 
requiring  to  be  carefully  considered.  It  would  not  be 
faith,  it  would  be  credulity  every  way  injurious,  fat  a 
Missionary  Board  to  incur  expenses  which  it  could 
not  reasonably  expect  to  tneet.  Its  position,  in  this 
matter,  is  much  like  that  of  a wise,  enlightened  busi- 
ness firm  engaged  in  some  lawful  occupation ; it  must 
keep  in  view  its  probable  means  of  fulfilling  its  engage- 
ments ; otherwise,  its  action  will  soon  be  embarrassed, 
its  hold  on  the  confidence  of  the  churches  weakened, 
and  its  course  end  in  disaster  to  sacred  interests.  In 
a proper  sense,  its  business  operations  must  be  con- 
ducted on  wise  and  sound  business  principles,  which 
are  surely  consistent  with  true  faith ; all  wise  men  act 
on  them,  men  of  faith  as  well  as  others.  But  we  need 
not  dwell  on  these  truisms.  Leaving  them  for  facts  in 
the  case — 

We  refer  to  the  past  history  of  our  Board,  in  reply. 
From  1833  to  1839,  110  debt  was  reported.  In  1840, 
when  the  times  were  greatly  depressed,  there  was  a 
debt  of  $2,460,  which  was  nearly  extinguished  next 


378 


MISSION AR  Y PARERS. 


year.  Thence  to  1857,  there  were  three  instances  of 
nominal  indebtedness,  the  largest  amounting  to  some 
$400.  In  1857,  another  period  of  great  financial  diffi- 
culty, there  was  a debt  of  $11,030,  but  it  was  reduced 
in  1858  to  less  than  $1,200.  No  debt  was  reported 
afterward  until  1862,  $952;  nor  any  in  the  next  three 
years.  In  1866,  there  was  an  indebtedness  of  $2,849. 
Afterwards  came  “ the  flush  times  ” following  the  war, 
and  with  them  financial  trouble  to  the  Board.  In 
1867,  the  indebtedness  was  $35,472  ; in  1868,  $27,139 ; 
in  1869,  $5,437;  in  1870,  $40,601 — but  some  of  the 
friends  of  the  Board  sent  in,  as  special  donations, 
$41,210,  so  that  the  Board  should  enter  on  the  era  of 
reunion  “ out  of  debt.”  The  returns  of  later  years  are 
in  the  recollection  of  our  readers  or  are  easily  acces- 
sible, and  need  not  here  be  given.  Nor  shall  we  now 
refer  to  thoughts  suggested  by  these  figures,  except 
to  add  that  the  confidence  of  the  churches  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  Board  in  all  those  former  years— 
years  of  steady  growth — and  also  the  success  of  its 
missions,  were  both  largely  owing  to  the  fact  that  it 
did  keep  out  of  debt. 


LXXII. 

THE  DISCIPLINE  OF  A NARROW  INCOME. 

All  are  opposed  to  retrenchment.  Yet  to  a Mission- 
ary Board,  as  to  a family,  or  an  individual,  it  may  be 


DISCIPLINE  OF  A NARRO IV  INCOME.  379 


unavoidable ; it  may  even  be  a wise  and  gracious  dis- 
cipline. It  may  lead  to  a closer  scrutiny  of  expenses, 
to  a better  adjustment  of  plans,  to  a greater  sense  of 
dependence  on  the  blessing  of  God.  Let  a simple  ex- 
ample be  considered.  A mission  school  of  a hundred 
boarding-scholars  may  be  conducted  on  the  general 
idea  of  gaining  advantage  by  large  numbers.  It  is  a 
great  charge,  however,  in  other  respects  than  financial 
— a heavy,  wearing  burden  on  all  the  teachers,  and 
especially  on  the  ladies  of  the  mission,  in  a tropical 
climate.  Many  of  the  scholars  are  not  bright,  but  the 
school  goes  on  in  ordinary  times  with  more  or  less  of 
encouragement. 

Times  of  pecuniary  trial  follow;  it  becomes  neces- 
sary to  reduce  the  number  of  scholars  to  sixty.  The 
missionary  brethren  are  led  to  select  the  boys  and  girls 
of  best  promise,  to  act  more  fully  on  the  eclectic  rule, 
to  give  greater  thoroughness  to  their  training,  now 
more  practicable  with  a smaller  number,  to  make  more 
particular  reference  to  evangelistic  objects,  and  this  at 
less  strain.  The  result  of  such  recasting  of  methods 
is  beneficial;  the  narrow  income  becomes  a useful  dis- 
cipline, and  leads  to  greater  efficiency  in  some  cases. 

However,  we  could  wish  that  changes  of  missionary 
plans,  if  desirable  or  expedient,  might  be  made  not  so 
much  for  reasons  of  pecuniary  pressure  as  of  wisdom 
from  on  high,  profitable  to  direct. 


V 


380 


MISSIONAR  V PAPERS. 


LXXIII. 

THE  TIME  REQUIRED  FOR  THE  CONVERSION  OF 
THE  WORLD. 

ONE  writer  says  it  will  take  fifty  years.  A speaker 
lately  specified  twenty  years.  Our  answer  is,  we  do 
not  know.  Nor  are  we  anxious  to  know.  What  the 
Church  has  to  do  is  to  preach  the  Gospel,  to  every 
creature.  To  do  this,  in  any  complete  sense,  requires 
a great  company  of  well-trained  preachers.  Ordinarily 
such  men  are  not  to  be  found  in  a short  time.  Many 
faithful  missionaries  have  spent  more  than  thirty 
years  without  seeing  numerous  conversions,  yet  their 
labors  were  included  as  a part  of  the  all-gracious  pur- 
pose of  God  towards  the  conversion  of  the  world. 
What  might  be  done,  time  and  grace  will  show. 
Meanwhile,  let  each  follower  of  Christ  try  to  obey 
his  last  commandment,  and  feel  sure  that  “the  earth 
shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea.” 


LXXIV. 

OFFICES  OF  THE  BOARD. 

The  late  Old  School  Church  pursued  a generous 
and  wise  policy  for  its  Boards,  in  providing  suitable 
office-rooms  for  their  executive  work.  In  those  days 


OFFICES  OF  THE  BOARD.  381 

there  were  three  Boards  in  Philadelphia,  and  one  in 
New  York.  Accordingly,  in  1839,  it  is  stated  in  an 
official  appeal  of  the  General  Assembly  : “ As  we 
have  now  three  Boards  of  the  Church  — the  Board 
of  Domestic  Missions,  of  Education,  and  of  Publica- 
tion— in  Philadelphia,  and  the  Board  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions in  New  York,  so  at  least  two  capacious  build- 
ings, one  in  each  city,  are  urgently  needed.  One 
such  edifice  in  Philadelphia  might  accommodate  the 
three  sister  institutions  with  their  necessary  offices.” 
Accordingly  donations  were  solicited  for  these  pur- 
poses, to  be  made  at  the  time  appointed  for  com- 
memorating the  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the  General 
Assembly.  For  several  years  the  three  Boards  in 
Philadelphia  were  accommodated  in  the  building 
thus  obtained.  Afterwards  a separate  building  was 
purchased  for  the  Domestic  Board  in  Arch  Street. 
Upon  reunion,  the  Arch  Street  house  was  sold,  and 
the  avails,  over  $28,000,  were  transferred  to  the 
Home  Board  in  New  York, — -we  always  supposed  for 
the  same  purpose  or  its  equivalent.  And  after  reunion, 
the  old  joint  building,  and  the  late  New  School  pub- 
lishing house,  with  which  it  was  united,  were  changed 
into  the  elegant  edifice,  1334  Chestnut  Street,  where 
the  Boards  of  Publication,  Education,  and  Relief 
have  now  their  excellent  quarters,  rent  free  as  before. 
The  Freedmen’s  Committee,  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant of  our  Domestic  Boards,  has  no  house  of  its  own, 
but  we  believe  its  office  is  held  at  a low  rent. 

In  those  days  of  1839,  it  seemed  not  to  have  been 
expected  that  more  than  one  Board  would  be  placed 


382 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


in  New  York,  and  in  giving  its  warm  approval  to 
applications  for  funds  for  its  use,  the  rooms  required 
for  offices,  storage,  etc.,  were  referred  to,  and  the  ex- 
pectation was  expressed  that  some  parts  of  the  build- 
ing might  be  rented  so  as  to  secure  income  to  the 
Board.  After  about  three  years  the  requisite  funds 
were  obtained,  the  largest  donor  being  an  estimable 
lady,  a member  of  the  Scotch  church,  long  since  de- 
parted this  life,  and  the  next  largest  being  a member 
of  the  First  church,  still  living  ; but  gifts  were  also 
received  from  many  other  parts  of  the  Church.  And 
thus  the  modest  but  comfortable  and  'well-built 
edifice  at  23  Centre  Street  was  obtained — to  the  great 
rejoicing  of  many  friends,  after  the  repeated  and  un- 
comfortable changes  from  place  to  place  in  rented 
rooms.  This  little  sketch  shows  two  things  : 1.  The 
Mission  House  was  not  a joint  building,  but  one  for 
the  Foreign  Board  alone.  2.  That  the  funds  invested 
in  it  were  of  the  nature  of  a trust  ; it  was  permissible 
to  rent  a part  of  it,  and  this  was  even  expected,  but 
the  rent  so  obtained  was  to  be  used  in  aid  of  the 
Board’s  purposes. 

Accordingly,  some  rooms  were  rented  as  offices  for 
lawyers,  and  one  as  a book-store  for  a time,  and  after- 
wards for  other  business  purposes.  A few  years  after 
reunion,  this  Centre  Street  building  was  put  in  good 
condition — a needed  improvement,  which  would  have 
been  made  long  before  but  for  some  difference  of 
opinion  among  our  friends  as  to  the  expediency  of 
“ going  UP  town.”  This  question  once  settled,  the 
missionary  museum  was  brought  from  the  third  to 


OFFICES  OF  THE  BOARD. 


383 


the  first  story,  and  it  became  practicable  to  offer 
rooms  for  offices  to  the  Home  and  the  Church  Exten- 
sion Boards  at  much  less  rent  than  they  had  been 
previously  paying,  and  affording  also  better  accom- 
modations than  they  had  before  obtained.  The  rent 
was  fixed  by  a committee  of  business  gentlemen 
representing  the  three  Boards,  but  the  rate  was  re- 
duced by  the  Foreign  Board  at  its  own  instance  two 
or  three  months  ago,  the  reduction  to  take  effect  at 
the  beginning  of  the  current  year.  It  stands  now, 
as  before,  at  a low  rate.  The  “ down-town  ” situation 
of  this  building,  within  easy  reach  of  the  shipping, 
post-office,  banks,  etc.,  is  of  great  convenience.  And 
now  with  the  new  and  speedy  modes  of  travel  in 
this  city,  all  converging  to  the  City  Hall  Park,  or  else 
within  easy  reach  of  it,  the  situation  of  the  Centre 
Street  house  has  become  so  eligible,  that  it  probably 
would  be  quite  practicable  to  rent  the  rooms  occupied 
by  the  Home  and  Church  Erection  Boards  on  advan- 
tageous terms  to  similar  religious  institutions.  But 
we  see  certain  great  advantages  in  having  our  Pres- 
byterian offices  in  the  same  building.  And  we  hope, 
if  it  is  agreeable  to  all  parties,  it  will  be  so  ordered 
for  many  years.  [1879]. 


384 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


LXXV. 

LENGTH  OF  MISSIONARY  LIFE. 

It  is  an  erroneous  impression,  and  a very  unhappy 
one,  that  the  life  of  missionaries  is  always  and  neces- 
sarily short.  This  idea  is  sometimes  presented  with 
a degree  of  precision  that  is  surprising,  as  when  we 
are  told  that  the  average  period  of  missionary  life  is 
five  years  and  six  months,  or  some  other  short  term. 
We  are  confident  that  a full  statement  of  the  case 
would  show  a widely  different  result. 

The  average  length  of  life  has  no  doubt  increased 
with  the  greater  knowledge  of  missionary  countries, 
and  the  greater  experience  of  missionary  institutions. 
At  first,  men  were  sometimes  sent  out  who  were  not 
well  adapted  to  certain  climates  ; but  now  mistakes  of 
this  kind  are  less  frequent.  Great  attention  is  very 
properly  paid  by  the  executive  officers  of  missionary 
societies  to  this  matter,  though  from  the  nature  of 
the  case  mistakes  may  still  too  easily  occur.  Nor  is 
their  care  limited  to  the  selection  of  men  having  a 
good  prospect  of  enjoying  health  : it  follows  them  to 
their  field  of  labor,  and  provides  for  their  comfortable 
support,  in  circumstances  as  favorable  to  health  as 
the  climate,  etc.,  will  permit.  As  a mere  matter  of 
economy,  to  say  nothing  of  usefulness,  it  would  be 
unwise  to  expose  the  health  of  missionary  laborers  to 
any  needless  risk. 

Most  of  the  missions  of  the  Board  are  of  too  recent 


LENGTH  OF  MISSIONARY  LIFE.  385 

origin,  or  they  have  too  small  a staff  of  laborers,  to 
furnish  valuable  statistics  on  this  subject  ; but  the 
mission  in  India  may  be  considered  an  exception,  in 
some  degree,  to  this  remark.  We  present  here  some 
statistics,  drawn  from  the  first  ten  years’  history  of 
the  mission  — the  period  from  1833  to  1842.  The 
selection  of  this  particular  period  allows  us  to  test  its 
lessons  by  a subsequent  period  of  twenty-one  years. 
[Some  have  died  since  1 863,  but  we  include  only  returns 
to  that  year.]  And  as  the  climate  of  this  country  is 
considered  more  injurious  to  the  health  of  foreigners 
than  any  other  excepting  Western  Africa,  the  lessons 
taught  by  these  returns  will  be  regarded  as  likely  to 
be  confirmed  by  the  statistics  of  other  missionary 
fields. 

We  may  tabulate  the  returns  of  the  Tndia  mission 
as  follows  : 


Missionaries. 

Arrived  in  India. 

Left  India. 

Died. 

W.  R 

1833 

1834 

1834 

J.  C.  L 

1833 

1836 

J.  w 

OO 

Oa 

ji 

1861 

J-  N 

1835 

J-  R.  C 

1836 

1862 

J.  McE 

1836 

1838 

OO 

J-M.  J 

1836 

OO 

'Vj 

W.  S.  R 

1836 

1843 

J-  P 

1836 

1853 

J-  c 

1838 

1845 

H.  R.  W 

1838 

1846 

J.  H.  M 

1838 

J.  L.  S 

1839 

1.  E.  F 

• 1839 

1857 

J-  w 

1839 

l-rt 

OO 

17 


386  MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 

Missionaries.  Arrived  in  India.  Left  India.  Died. 

J.  0 1840 

J.  C.  R 1840  1848 

W.  H.  McA 1840  1851 

L.  J 1842 

J.  W 1842  1849 


On  these  returns  we  remark  : 

1.  The  number  of  ministers  who  reached  India 
in  the  first  ten  years  of  the  mission,  1833-42,  was  20. 

2.  Of  these,  15  are  living,  and  5 are  dead. 

3.  The  age  of  most  of  these  ministers  we  do  not 
know  with  certainty,  but  we  have  reason  to  suppose 
that  27  years  may  be  mentioned  as  the  average,  at 
the  time  of  their  arriving  in  India.  Three  of  them 
were  older  than  usual  — 36,  35,  31 — which  accounts 
for  the  rather  high  average,  as  compared  with  the  age 
at  which  most  of  our  ministers  enter  on  their  work. 
Of  those  now  living,  none  have  yet  reached  the  age 
of  60  ; but  of  two  who  died,  one  was  62,  and  the 
other  would  now  be  62  if  his  life  had  been  spared. 

4.  The  average  time  of  all  since  they  went  to  India 
is  over  21  years  ; to  this  must  be  added,  in  order  to 
complete  the  case,  the  average  of  whatever  years  may 
be  allotted  to  the  fifteen  still  living. 

5.  The  average  time  spent  by  these  twenty  min- 
isters in  India  is  over  15  years.  It  is  nearly  18  years, 
if  we  deduct  the  returns  of  three  who  probably  ought 
not  to  have  been  sent  to  that  country,  on  account  of 
health.  The  average  time  spent  by  the  six  still  in 
India  is  over  24  years. 

6.  We  may  add  concerning  those  still  living  who 


MISSIONARY  DEPUTATIONS. 


387 


have  returned  to  this  country  : Six  came  home  for 
reasons  of  health,  either  of  themselves  or  their  wives, 
of  whom  three  would  not  have  been  sent  out  under 
the  views  now  ruling,  and  three  returned  for  reasons 
connected  with  their  families,  but  not  referring  pri- 
marily to  health.  All  of  these  returned  missionaries 
are  still  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  Church. 

These  statistics,  so  far  as  they  go,  are  of  marked  ' 
encouragement.  They  tend  to  show  that  the  average 
of  missionary  life,  even  in  India,  is  quite  equal  to 
that  of  ministerial  life  in  this  country.  Life  insur- 
ance companies,  therefore,  we  should  think,  need  not 
hesitate  to  take  insurance  risks  on  missionary  life. 
What  we  chiefly  note,  however,  is  the  evidence  thus 
afforded  to  show  how  groundless  is  the  notion  that 
missionary  life  is  necessarily  short.  These  returns 
certainly  teach  a different  lesson. 


LXXVI. 

MISSIONARY  DEPUTATIONS. 

* 

SOME  missionary  Boards  have  sent  out  deputations 
to  inspect  their  missions ; usually  a secretary  or  one 
of  the  executive  officers  is  commissioned  for  this  pur- 
pose. Like  many  things,  this  plan  of  superintendence 
has  two  sides.  In  its  favor  it  is  alleged:  1.  That  bet- 
ter knowledge  of  the  mission  is  thereby  gained.  2. 
That  a wiser  adjustment  can  be  made  of  matters  in 


MI  SSI  ON AR  V PAPERS. 


388 

the  field.  3.  That  greater  sympathy  is  secured  with 
the  missionaries.  And  4.  That  a deeper  interest  in 
the  work  at  home  can  be  created  by  the  report  of  the 
deputation.  A certain  degree  of  weight  should  be 
given  to  some  of  these  arguments,  especially  the  last, 
but  there  are  drawbacks.  After  considering  the  his- 
tory of  several  deputations  from  six  missionary  Socie- 
ties and  Boards,  we  are  led  to  think  the  most  useful 
was  that  of  a late  secretary,  previously  an  experienced 
missionary,  who  spent  a year  in  one  mission.  But  in 
general  the  drawbacks  are  serious. 

It  is  usually  the  case  that  the  knowledge  gained  by 
a deputy  is  marked  by  imperfection.  He  can  but 
seldom  know  the  language  of  the  natives,  so  that  his 
opportunities  of  understanding  difficult  subjects  are 
limited  ; and  usually  his  visit  is  a flying  one,  seldom 
occupying  more  than  a few  days.  We  have  had 
reason  to  complain  in  this  country  of  many  books  of 
travel  by  Europeans,  even  by  some  who  speak  our 
language,  written  after  spending  a few  months  amongst 
us  ; much  more  should  we  expect  the  report  of  a hasty 
visit  by  a missionary  deputy  to  India  or  China  to  be 
lacking  in  thoroughness.  He  has  seldom  time  to  be- 
come well  acquainted*  personally  with  each  mission- 
ary, much  less  to  penetrate  fully  into  the  difficult  sub- 
jects, which  often  in  great  variety  mark  the  condition 
of  the  work. 

Another  adverse  thing  is  the  embarrassing  relative 
position  of  the  deputy  and  the  missionary.  The  lat- 
ter may  readily  feel  that  his  standing  and  his  work  are 
liable  to  be  reported  “ at  headquarters  ” in  a way  that 


MISSIONARY  DEPUTATIONS. 


389 


may  do  him  injustice— not  intentionally,  of  course,  but 
yet  too  readily  in  view  of  the  circumstances.  And  if 
to  this  be  added  the  difficulty  which  the  former  must 
meet,  from  his  brief  and  slight  acquaintance,  the  risk 
of  evil  seems  to  be  serious.  If,  moreover,  the  deputy 
reaches  conclusions  without  a full  knowledge  of 
the  history  of  the  mission,  and  a patient  study 
of  the  missionaries ; and  if  he  is  predisposed  to  be 
impressed  by  great  and  visible  results  rather  than 
by  the  slower,  though  it  may  be  deeper,  causes  at 
work ; this  relative  position  of  the  deputy  and  the 
missionary  in  the  midst  of  his  labors  may  prove 
not  only  embarrassing,  but  seriously  injurious  to  the 
best  interests.  Indeed  if  such  official  or  semi-official 
visits  must  be  made,  as  of  urgent  need  in  mission 
work,  then  would  emerge  a strong  argument  for  regu- 
lar Episcopal  jurisdiction — subject  as  it  would  be  to 
Church  law,  and  not  solely  to  personal  traits.  Let  the 
deputy  be  a man  of  strong  convictions,  and  one  confi- 
dent in  his  theories,  and  it  will  not  be  strange  if  he 
presses  his  views  to  a result  that  may  work  great  harm, 
all  the  more  to  be  deprecated  if  such  result  is  reached 
against  the  judgment  of  missionary  brethren  of  ability 
equal  or  superior  to  his  own,  and  of  thorough  acquaint- 
ance with  their  life-long  work.  This,  unhappily,  is  not 
a fancy  sketch  of  imaginary  evil,  though  not  in  any 
mission  of  our  Board. 

A minor  and  yet  not  unimportant  adverse  thing  is 
the  expense  which  these  deputations  involve.  A jour- 
ney to  and  from  distant  missionary  countries  requires  a 
considerable  pecuniary  outlay.  Meanwhile  the  salary 


390 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


of  the  deputy,  if  he  is  an  executive  officer,  is  going  on. 
Expense  must  be  incurred,  moreover,  for  conducting 
the  service  of  the  office  in  the  absence  of  its  incumbent. 
Now  all  of  this  may  be  money  well  expended,  if  the 
exigencies  of  the  service  require  it ; otherwise,  it  is 
not  a justifiable  expenditure. 

But  finally  there  is  “a  more  excellent  way.”  It  can 
be  stated  in  a few  words  : Appoint  the  right  kind  of 
men  as  missionaries  and  as  secretaries,  and  then  trust 
them,  under  the  usual  safeguards  against  injurious  ac- 
tion which  our  Church  has  provided.  Especially  let 
the  secretaries  carry  in  their  minds  full  and  particular 
knowledge  of  details.  These  may  be  readily  acquired, 
and  can  not  safely  be  neglected.  Besides  this*  is  the 
information  and  counsel  derived  from  missionaries 
when  they  return  to  this  country  on  visits,  which  are 
often  of  great  value.  And  there  is  the  regular  cor- 
respondence, the  letters  of  every  month,  or  every 
week,  in  many  cases ; the  annual  reports  of  the  mis- 
sions ; the  careful,  discriminating,  yet  sympathetic 
study  at  the  missionary  office  of  everything  that  af- 
fects the  work  of  the  mission ; the  mature  action  of 
the  missionary  board ; the  authoritative  judgment  of 
the  Church  in  its  General  Assembly, — all  pervaded  by 
the  spirit  of  earnest  consecration  to  Christ,  and  influ- 
enced by  common  views  of  doctrine,  Church  order,  and 
Christian  duty.  All  of  these  tend  to  lessen  the  need  of 
deputations.  Let  the  public  sentiment  of  the  churches, 
and  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  pervade  and  rein- 
force all  the  counsels  and  measures  of  our  work  of 
missions,  and  then  its  whole  movement  may  be  ex- 


RECALL  OF  A MISSIONAR  Y. 


39i 


pected  to  go  forward  abroad,  as  our  church  work  does 
at  home,  without  the  aid  of  special  and  official  visits. 
Indeed  these  seem  to  be  rarely  if  ever  needed,  and 
are  certainly  open  to  grave  objections  ; while  yet  the 
visits  of  Christian  friends,  clothed  with  no  official 
character,  may  well  be  welcomed  in  every  mission. 


LXXVII. 

RECALL  OF  A MISSIONARY. 

THE  recall  or  dismissal  of  a missionary  may  some- 
times become  a duty.  This  is  evident  in  cases  of 
flagrant  immorality,  when  confessed.  In  cases  less 
evident  it  may  also  become  expedient,  as  in  the  event 
of  chronic  ill-health,  without  reasonable  hope  of  re- 
covery, and  involving  a heavy  burden  on  other  mis- 
sionaries, hindering  them  in  their  work  ; the  failure  to 
learn  the  native  language,  the  want  of  industry  and 
concentration  of  purpose  in  the  duties  of  missionary 
life,  mental  incompetency  for  efficient  missionary 
labors,  etc.  The  funds  of  the  Church  should  not  be 
misused  in  the  support  of  men  that  can  not  or  will 
not  do  the  work  for  which  they  were  commissioned. 

The  manner  of  such  recall,  in  cases  not  of  immor- 
ality, is  a subject  of  some  difficulty  as  well  as  of 
practical  moment.  It  clearly  should  not  be  such  as 
would  inflict  needless  suffering,  much  less  such  as 
would  hinder  one’s  usefulness  in  other  work  for 


392 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


Christ.  Neither  should  this  action  be  taken  at  the 
instance  of  a secretary,  nor  a resignation  of  a mission- 
ary be  enforced  by  his  influence,  without  fair  and 
open  hearing  by  the  Board.  Moreover,  the  dismis- 
sion or  compulsory  resignation  of  a missionary  should 
not  result  from  the  action  of  his  brethren  in  the  field 
without  previous  brotherly  conference  with  him,  and 
his  having  at  their  hands  due  notice  of  their  dissatis- 
faction and  fair  opportunity  of  self-defence.  In  no 
case  should  they  take  indirect  action  to  effect  his  dis- 
missal ; but  on  the  golden  rule  and  according  to  the 
spirit  if  not  the  letter  of  the  rules  of  the  Church,  they 
should  give  him  previous  notice  of  the  course  which 
they  intended  to  pursue.  It  is  needless,  however,  to 
enumerate  the  various  phases  of  a subject  of  this 
kind.  The  Board’s  rule  is  clear  and  comprehensive  : 
it  “ reserves  to  itself  the  right  of  recalling  a mission- 
ary or  of  dissolving  its  connection  with  him,  for  suffi- 
cient reasons,  which  are  to  be  of  record,  and  to  be 
submitted  to  the  General  Assembly  with  the  minutes 
of  the  Board.” 

In  any  case  of  alleged  immorality,  if  not  confessed, 
but  denied,  the  accused  is  entitled  to  be  heard  by  his 
Presbytery  before  final  dismissal  is  reached,  though 
suspension  from  missionary  service  may  be  necessary 
when  it  is  impracticable  to  secure  action  of  the  Presby- 
tery without  considerable  delay.  Happily  but  few 
such  cases  ever  occur.  Cases  not  of  immorality  are 
also  rare,  and  are  seldom  to  be  expected  if  careful 
judgment  is  exercised  in  the  appointment  of  mission- 
aries. But  when  it  appears  to  be  evident  that  a mis- 


RECALL  OF  A MISSIONARY. 


393 


take  was  made  in  the  appointment  of  a missionary, 
then  all  the  careful  steps  already  indicated  in  this 
paper  should  be  taken  after  prayerful  and  candid  con- 
sideration, so  that  no  man’s  good  name  and  influence 
may  be  put  in  risk  of  injury  without  sufficient  cauce, 
nor  without  reasons  that  are  “ of  record  ” — such 
reasons  and  such  proofs,  in  short,  as  are  required  by  . 
the  standards  of  the  Church  in  Presbyterian  com- 
munions. And  in  all  cases,  whatever  action  is  taken 
may  be  brought  under  review  in  various  ways  by  the 
Church  courts,  and  redress  secured  if  injury  has  be^i 
suffered.  This  reserved  right  may  be  considered  as 
rendering  needless  any  more  specific  reference  to  the 
action  of  Presbyteries  in  such  cases.  Instances 
could  be  given  where  no  such  action  would  be  desired 
by  brethren  who  were  most  concerned  ; indeed,  would 
be  only  embarrassing  to  them.  But  with  the  open 
and  free  light  of  presbyterial  action  in  any  case,  there 
can  be  little  if  any  risk  of  evil  ; certainly  none  that 
could  not  be  redressed. 

In  order  to  avoid  turning  public  attention  unneces- 
sarily to  cases  not  involving  immorality,  frank  a,nd 
kind  conference  between  a missionary  and  his  brethren, 
or  a missionary  and  the  Board  or  its  secretary,  may 
be  highly  expedient.  No  objection  is  perceived  to 
such  conference  taking  the  form  of  unofficial,  kind, 
personal  letters,  which  should  frankly  state  the  case, 
and  then  leave  the  missionary  free  to  follow  his  own 
views  of  duty,  free  to  ask  for  official  action  and  to 
abide  at  his  post  until  he  received  further  light. 
And  he  might  well  feel  grateful  for  such  informal  con- 
17* 


394 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


ference,  if  it  were  conducted  in  a Christian  spirit. 
He  might  also  feel  grateful  if  thereby  he  were  led  to 
withdraw  from  a post  to  which  he  was  ill  adapted, 
and  to  enter  some  other  field  of  labor  without  loss  of 
influence  and  without  embarrassing  publicity. 


LXXVIII. 

§ “MISSION”  OR  PRESBYTERY. 

In  many  of  the  countries  occupied  by  our  Mission- 
ary Board,  a considerable  class  of  local  affairs  is  en- 
trusted to  a Committee,  consisting  of  the  foreign 
ministers  and  laymen  on  the  ground,  and  usually 
called  a “ Mission.”  This  is  different  from  a Presby- 
tery, so  that  often  two  organizations  are  in  practical 
use.  It  is  sometimes  difficult  to  draw  the  line  be- 
tween them,  so  many  things  are  common  to  both ; 
but  it  is  customary  to  regard  such  local  affairs  as  are 
matters  of  business — the  purchase  of  property  when 
authorized,  repairs  of  mission  houses,  wages  of  native 
employes,  etc.,  as  belonging  to  the  mission.  When 
this  body  goes  beyond  these  minor  and  business  mat- 
ters, and  proceeds  to  license  candidates  for  the  min- 
istry, to  ordain  ministers,  to  subject  them  to  trial, 
discipline,  or  removal  from  office,  it  clearly  steps  out- 
side of  presbyterial  order.  It  then  invades  the 
province  of  Presbytery. 

But  why  should  this  double  system  be  maintained  ? 


“ MISSION ” OR  PRESBYTERY. 


395 


Why  should  not  Presbytery  itself  take  the  direction 
of  all  local  missionary  affairs  ? Such  matters  as  are 
partly  of  a business  nature  could  be  placed  in  the 
hands  of  Committees,  which  should  report  their  action 
to  the  Presbytery,  just  as  is  done  in  this  country  ; it 
is  not  apparent  why  a different  course  should  be 
pursued  in  the  missionary  field.  Instead  of  dual  pro- 
ceedings we  should  then  see  the  usual  simplicity  of 
action  which  marks  the  meetings  of  our  Presbyteries. 
In  favor  of  this  unity  and  comprehensiveness  of 
order  weighty  reasons  may  be  given. 

1.  The  “ Mission  ” is  not  an  outgrowth  of  mission- 
ary rule  from  Presbyterian  ideas.  It  is  taken  from 
the  usages  of  denominations,  in  which  no  authority 
is  recognized  outside  of  the  local  church  ; nor  any 
acknowledgment  of  representation  as  a convenient  and 
practicable  method  of  ascertaining  the  common  will 
of  the  churches  united  in  one  body;  and  in  which, 
moreover,  the  foreign  missionaries  must  too  often  act 
as  quasi  bishops,  not  responsible  to  any  church.  All 
this  differs  from  the  order  of  our  body.  An  apparent 
exception  occurred  in  India,  in  allowing  the  ministers  of 
two  Presbyterian  denominations,  who  could  not  meet 
in  Presbytery,  to  meet  on  common  ground  as  a “ Mis- 
sion,” each  denomination  reserving  all  ecclesiastical 
rights ; but  this  expedient  is  no  longer  needed  there. 
Viewing  the  “ Mission  ” as  a thing  imported  and  not 
of  home  origin,  it  does  not  seem  to  agree  well  with 
the  ordinary  methods  of  our  church  work.  To  have 
both  Presbytery  and  Mission  seems  to  be  surplusage. 

2.  The  membership  of  the  Mission  is  too  narrow— 


33^ 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


merely  that  of  the  foreign  laborers.  In  Presbytery  both 
foreign  and  native  ministers  and  elders  meet  together 
on  favorable  conditions.  It  is  right,  however,  to  con- 
sider here  an  objection  which  is  often  interposed 
against  common  action  by  foreigners  and  natives  in 
many  things,  and  especially  in  matters  of  a pecuniary 
kind, — to  the  effect  that  as  the  native  members  would 
often  outnumber  the  foreign,  they  could  control  the 
expenditure  of  moneys  which  they  had  no  share  in 
collecting,  and  the  sources  of  which  they  could  not 
well  understand.  There  is  force  in  this  objection. 
But  in  the  first  place  they  could  be  taught  and  trained 
to  understand  the  subject  in  its  proper  merits,  as  indeed 
they  must  b^  on  any  theory.  In  the  next  place,  the 
Missionary  Board  at  home  would  no  doubt  adopt  the 
rule  of  requiring  the  approval  and  consent  of  the 
foreign  members,  in  the  expenditure  of  its  funds  in 
all  cases.  This  rule  now  obtains  under  the  “ Mission,” 
and  therefore  it  would  require  the  adoption  of  no 
new  principle ; it  is  the  principle  of  election  which 
the  Church  need  never  disavow.  And  inasmuch  as 
this  rule  would  not  be  applicable  to  the  expenditure 
of  funds  contributed  by  the  native  churches,  it  would 
give  no  reasonable  occasion  of  complaint.  If  cases 
of  discipline  should  occur  in  which  the  foreign  mem- 
bers might  be  without  adequate  protection,  redress 
could  be  obtained  by  their  having  the  right  of  appeal 
to  the  Church  at  home.  In  some  form  this  right 
would  be  secured  to  them.  As  to  all  other  things 
the  foreign  and  the  native  members  would  stand  on 
the  same  footing,  and  all  would  enjoy  the  advantages 


“ MISSION ” OR  PRESBYTERY. 


397 


of  mutual  counsel,  sympathy,  co-operation,  and  fellow- 
ship, abroad  as  at  home.  This  part  of  the  case  is 
treated  elsewhere  in  these  papers,  and  need  not  be 
further  stated  here,  though  it  suggests — 

3.  That  hence  a great  gain  of  power  in  the  missionary 
work  would  be  obtained.  Common  action  and  mutual 
sympathy  would  unite  the  two  factors,  the  foreign  and 
the  native,  in  the  counsel  and  direction  of  their  work. 
Whatever  lessens  the  apparent  reserve  or  distance 
of  position,  on  the  one  side,  and  the  jealous,  sus- 
picious, or  hurt  feeling  on  the  other  side,  would  be 
valuable  ; the  Presbytery  is  an  agency  for  all,  and  one 
not  needlessly  exclusive.  Differences  would  still 
exist  in  the  style  of  living,  dress,  and  other  conven- 
tional matters,  which  might  well  be  left  to  take  care 
of  themselves,  and  which  would  be  wisely  settled  by 
Christian  love  and  wisdom  ; but  the  great  bond  of 
union  to  Christ  and  then  to  his  Church,  as  represented 
in  Presbytery  in  a special  sense  for  all  ministers  and 
elders,  would  lead  both  parties  to  the  best  order 
and  quality  of  service  in  the  spread  of  the  Gospel. 
They  would  there  meet  together  as  brethren,  having 
a common  standing  and  a common  work.  Such  is 
the  happy  relation  of  all  ministers  and  elders  to  each 
other  and  such  their  common  work  in  our  home  Pres- 
byteries; it  is  not  perceived  why  equally  good  results 
may  not  be  obtained  abroad.  This  is  true  especially 
in  all  questions  and  cases  appertaining  to  the  prepa- 
ration of  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  as  well  as  in  the 
supervision  of  their  labors. 

4.  In  cases  of  trouble,  personal  alienation,  alleged 


39^ 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


misconduct,  especially  if  these  should  unhappily  occur 
among  the  foreign  laborers,  the  Presbytery  is  greatly 
to  be  preferred  to  the  “ Mission.”  It  is  a cause  of 
deep  regret  that  such  cases  should  ever  occur,  but  it 
need  not  be  a matter  of  surprise.  Missionaries  have 
their  imperfections  and  may  sometimes  fall  like  other 
men.  The  circumstances  in  which  they  are  placed 
may  call  for  the  graces  of  patience,  forbearance,  and 
forgiveness.  Sometimes  it  is  needful  to  invoke  the 
exercise  of  discipline.  In  both  Presbytery  and  Mis- 
sion, as  the  latter  is  usually  understood,  such  proceed- 
ing may  take  place.  Both  may  be  disturbed  by 
divided  counsels  in  some  cases  ; both  may  be  left  to 
ill-advised  measures  ; both  may  be  embarrassed  by 
alienated  feeling ; but  in  all  cases  the  Presbytery 
takes  its  action  by  a well-known  method  of  procedure. 
Its  rules  are  definite ; its  official  responsibility  is  not 
irresponsible.  Its  decision  is  subject  to  appeal  and 
review.  Under  its  process  it  would  not  be  practicable 
for  good  men  to  adopt  proceedings  without  previous 
conference  with,  and  notice  to,  an  alleged  delin- 
quent, which  should  end  with  a resolution  injuri- 
ous to  his  missionary  career.  Nor  would  cases  be 
likely  to  occur  under  Presbytery,  when  through  per- 
sonal difficulties  able  and  good  men  should  be  led  to 
withdraw  from  missionary  service.  It  is  objected 
that  this  action,  having  ordinarily  to  be  taken  in 
public  proceedings,  does  serious  injury  to  the  native 
Christian  community  ; but  even  “ Mission  ” action  is 
certain  to  become  known.  Besides,  the  fair  exercise 
of  Church  discipline  never  injures  the  cause  of  re- 


HENRY  MARTYN'S  BURIAL-PLACE. 


399 


ligion  ; on  the  contrary,  it  becomes  the  means  of  bene- 
fit in  various  ways. 

It  is  not  wise  to  make  too  much  of  personal  difficul- 
ties. Their  occurrence  is  exceptional ; but  when  they 
do  occur  the  question  arises,  how  can  they  be  dealt 
with  in  the  best  way?  We  must  indeed  rely  mainly 
on  divine  grace  for  the  prevention  and  the  correction 
of  most  cases  of  trouble;  but  when  such  cases  actually 
occur  we  know  of  no  better  tribunal  for  their  settle- 
ment, whether  at  home  or  abroad,  than  is  provided  in 
Presbytery. 

In  the  view  of  these  reasons  we  should  be  glad  to 
see  our  foreign  missionary  work  conducted  abroad  on 
the  same  theory  is  at  home. 


LXXIX. 

HENRY  MARTYN’S  BURIAL-PLACE. 

MOST  of  our  readers  have  heard  of  Henry  Martyn. 
His  memoir  is  one  of  the  finest  biographies  in  our 
language.  His  character  as  a Christian,  a minister,  a 
missionary,  receives  the  homage  of  every  pious  heart. 
Distinguished  for  talents  of  the  first  order  and  scholar- 
ship of  the  highest  grade,  occupying  a position  from 
which  advancement  to  stations  of  honor  and  wealth 
could  be  expected  with  certainty,  endowed  with  the 
warmest  and  tenderest  affections — fitting  him  to 
enjoy  keenly  the  society  of  his  relatives  and  friends, 


400 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


he  gave  up  all  these,  and  went  alone  to  India,  to 
spend  his  life  in  the  service  of  the  Redeemer.  There 
he  was  a faithful  minister  of  the  Gospel  during  a 
short  but  brilliant  career.  His  labors  were  abundant, 
both  among  Europeans  and  natives.  For  the  latter, 
he  made  an  excellent  translation  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment into  Hindustani.  His  health  becoming  im- 
paired, and  being  anxious  to  perfect  a translation  of 
the  New  Testament  in  the  Persian  language,  he  left 
India  on  his  return  to  England,  travelling  through 
Persia.  On  this  journey  he  suffered  severely  from 
fatigue  and  exposure,  and  died  far  from  his  family, 
and  without  the  presence  of  any  Christian  friends, 
but  upheld  and  cheered  by  the  presence  and  grace  of 
that  great  Friend,  who  only  can  go  with  us  through 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death.  The  last  entry 
in  his  journal  was  under  date  of  October  6,  1812,  a 
short  time  before  his  death.  He  was  then  extremely 
feeble,  from  the  effects  of  fever,  aggravated  by  the 
merciless  conduct  of  his  Mohammedan  conductor  or 
guide,  who  had  compelled  him  to  pursue  his  journey 
on  horseback  by  night  and  day. 

“No  horses  being  to  be  had,  I had  an  unexpected 
repose.  I sat  in  the  orchard,  and  thought  with  sweet 
comfort  and  peace,  of  my  God — in  solitude  my  com- 
pany, my  friend  and  comforter.  Oh  ! when  shall 
time  give  place  to  eternity ! when  shall  appear  that 
new  heaven  and  new  earth  wherein  dwelleth  right- 
eousness ! There,  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  in 
anything  that  defileth ; none  of  that  wickedness 
which  has  made  men  worse  than  wild  beasts  ; none  of 


HENR  Y MAR  TYN’S  B URIAL-PLACE. 


401 


those  corruptions  which  add  still  more  to  the  miseries 
of  mortality,  shall  be  seen  or  heard  of  any  more.” 

Soon  afterwards  he  died,  before  reaching  his  thirty- 
second  year.  He  was  buried  by  strangers  in  the  Per- 
sian city  of  Tocat.  His  death  and  burial  there  have 
led  tens  of  thousands  of  persons  to  think  of  that  city 
with  peculiar  interest,  and  to  offer  many  prayers  for 
the  conversion  of  its  bigoted  inhabitants. 

We  are  taught  many  valuable  lessons  by  the  ex- 
ample of  such  a man  as  Henry  Martyn.  Some  of 
these  we  may  briefly  specify: 

1.  The  highest  talents  and  attainments  may  be 
nobly  employed  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry. 

2.  And  also  in  the  field  of  Christian  missions. 

3.  A high  order  of  piety  will  greatly  promote  the 
usefulness  of  a minister,  and  also  of  a missionary. 

4.  Near  and  constant  communion  with  God  will 
cheer  his  servants  in  solitude,  and  in  all  times  of  diffi- 
culty and  danger. 

5.  The  grace  of  God  can  make  our  dying  hour 
peaceful,  under  any  circumstances. 

6.  Missionaries  do  not  live  in  vain,  who  are  called 
away  by  an  early  death.  Henry  Martyn  lived  but  a 
few  years  in  India,  but  for  nearly  seventy  years  has  his 
example  been  speaking  to  the  people  of  God,  calling 
them  to  a life  of  piety,  of  self-denial,  of  holy  enter- 
prise, of  deep  concern,  and  active  labors  for  them  that 
are  perishing  for  lack  of  vision.  “ He  being  dead, 
yet  speaketh.” 

7.  Let  young  men  study  Henry  Martyn’s  life,  for 


402 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


its  large  views  of  what  a Christian  may  hope  to  do  in 
the  service  of  God. 

8.  Let  ministers  and  members  of  our  churches,  old 
and  young,  study  such  an  example  as  this,  as  a means 
of  helping  them  to  rise  above  the  common  spirit  of 
worldliness,  self-indulgence,  love  of  ease.  Why  may 
not  I— why  may  not  all,  reach  a like  standard  of  holy 
living? 

9.  Let  our  children  think  of  Tocat,  and  of  many  a 
mission  station  among  the  heathen,  as  places  where 
God  can  make  his  people  happy  while  they  live,  and 
from  which,  when  they  die,  he  will  take  them  home 
to  a better  country,  even  an  heavenly. 


LXXX. 

REV.  C.  A JACOBI. 

In  looking  over  an  English  missionary  work,  pub- 
lished nearly  thirty  years  ago,  we  were  struck  with 
some  of  the  notices  of  the  short  missionary  life  of 
this  excellent  man. 

He  was  born  in  Saxony,  educated  at  Leipsic  and 
Halle,  accepted  as  a missionary  by  the-  Christian 
Knowledge  Society,  England,  and  publicly  designated 
to  South  India  on  the  23d  of  March,  1814;  when  an 
able  and  learned  address  was  delivered  to  him  by 
Archdeacon  Middleton,  who  was  afterwards  the  first 
Episcopal  bishop  in  India.  In  his  reply  to  this  ad- 


REV.  C.  A.  JACOBI. 


403 


dress,  Mr.  Jacobi  mentioned  an  interesting  circum- 
stance in  his  early  life  : 

“ When  a boy  of  seven  years,  my  father,  one  of 
the  most  learned  and  pious  ministers  of  the  church 
of  Saxony,  telling  me  something  about  this  country> 
said,  ‘ Behold,  God  has  certainly  yet  great  designs 
with  England,  and  it  is  a mighty  instrument  in  his 
hands  to  establish  his  kingdom  on  earth.’  On  his 
then  telling  me  of  the  missions,  I felt  so  deeply 
touched  that  I cried  ouG  ‘ Father,  I will  one  day  go 
to  England,  from  thence  to  be  sent  out  among  the 
Gentiles.’  And  from  that  time  all  my  thoughts  were 
filled  with  this  design.  Childish  as  this  might  appear, 
my  father  kept  these  words  in  his  heart ; and  when  I 
afterwards  had  been  four  years  at  the  college,  and  the 
hour  of  his  death  approached,  he  wrote  me  that  I 
might  tell  him,  before  he  died,  what  my  resolution 
about  my  future  state  of  life  was.  I answered  that  I 
was  determined,  if  it  pleased  the  Lord,  to  follow  what 
I thought  my  calling  to  the  mission.  I was  then  six- 
teen years  of  age.  My  father,  answering  to  this,  ex- 
horted me  to  look  carefully  on  the  ways  of  God  with 
me ; not  to  presume  to  guide  my  own  fate ; but  as  he 
had  no  objection  to  my  determination,  he  wished  me 
the  blessings  of  God  to  it.  Alas ! this  was  his  last 
letter;  the  last  words  of  which  were,  ‘May  the  Lord 
finish  his  work  ! ’ He  soon  after  died,  and  thus  took 
my  promise,  to  be  a missionary,  with  him  before  the 
heavenly  throne.” 

In  the  early  stage  of  his  theological  studies,  this 
young  man  was  nearly  persuaded  to  adopt  the  ration- 


404 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


alistic  or  infidel  sentiments  which  were  taught  at 
Leipsic ; but  he  escaped  from  this  danger  through 
the  influence  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Knapp.  He  became  a 
minister  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  seems  to  have 
possessed  popular  talents,  as  he  had  flattei'ing  invita- 
tions to  “ many  lucrative  livings  in  Saxony,  Austria, 
and  Russia,”  which  his  friends  urged  him  to  accept. 
His  heart  was  set,  however,  on  going  as  a missionary 
to  the  heathen,  and  in  due  time  the  door  was  opened, 
and  he  sailed  for  India  in  the  year  1814. 

In  the  opinion  of  those  who  knew  him  well,  few 
men  were  better  qualified  for  the -duties  to  which  he 
had  devoted  himself.  Though  but  twenty-two  years 
of  age,  he  was  able  to  preach  in  English,  to  hold  con- 
versation with  a Romish  priest,  whom  he  met  at 
Madeira  on  the  voyage  out,  in  Portuguese  and  Latin, 
and  to  converse  with  some  lascars  of  the  ship’s  crew 
in  the  Arabic  language  ; and  his  general  deportment 
during  the  voyage  had  been  so  exemplary  as  greatly 
to  have  endeared  him  to  the  officers,  passengers,  and 
sailors. 

He  reached  Madras  in  September  of  the  same  year. 
The  strong  wish  of  his  heart  seemed  now  to  be 
granted,  and  the  prospect  of  usefulness  before  him 
was  most  animating.  An  important  department  of 
missionary  duty  was  awaiting  him  at  Tanjore  ; for 
which  station  he  soon  afterwards  began  his  journey. 
His  views  of  his  important  work  were  well  matured  ; 
and  his  religious  feelings,  as  expressed  by  himself, 
indicated  the  sincere,  humble,  and  devoted  character 
of  his  piety. 


REV.  C.  A.  JACOBI. 


405 


“Now  I live  in  India;  and  though  many  things 
around  me  are  strange,  yet  they  give  me  not  much 

trouble I do  not  regret  that  I have  left  Europe, 

where  I could  have  lived  in  great  comfort.  I do  not 
wish  to  return,  though  I am  sure  my  friends  and  re- 
lations would  receive  me  with  open  arms.  I am  above 
such  things.  This  is  not  the  affected  indifference  of 
a cold  philosopher  : not  at  all ; it  is  an  indifference 
which  only  can  be  produced  by  the  grace  of  God.  I 

have  now  done  my  duty I expect  a life  of 

trouble  and  affliction.  I shall  go  through  good  and 
bad  report.  Christ  does  not  forsake  the  servant  for 
whom  he  hath  already  done  so  much.  I see  now  ful- 
filled, in  my  twenty-second  year,  what  I desired  as  a 

boy  of  seven  years I have  been  in  the  school 

of  God,  and  time  will  show  whether  I am  truly  his 
servant  or  not.” 

These  were  among  the  last  lines  he  ever  wrote.  On 
the  journey  to  Tanjore  he  was  taken  ill,  and  soon  de- 
parted this  life.  It  would  seem  that  no  Christian 
friend  was  with  him  during  his  last  hours  ; but  doubt- 
less, the  promise  of  our  Lord  was  fulfilled  to  his  ser- 
vant, and  his  presence  would  support  and  cheer  his 
dying  moments. 

This  brief  sketch  suggests  two  or  three  remarks  : 

1.  We  can  not  but  admire  the  devoted  piety  of 
Mr.  Jacobi’s  father.  His  mind  must  have  formed 
large  conceptions  of  the  work  of  God  amongst  the 
nations,  and  of  the  means  which  he  employs  for  its 
performance ; and  his  heart  must  have  been  filled 
with  a deep  sense  of  the  glory  of  Christ  and  the 


406 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


worth  of  immortal  souls ; otherwise  he  would  not 
have  been  at  pains  to  direct  the  mind  of  his  son  to 
the  work  of  missions,  and  to  encourage  him  to  en- 
gage in  it. 

2.  Parents  have  it  in  their  power  to  exert  the 
greatest  influence  on  the  character  and  conduct  of 
their  children.  Pious  parents  should  consider  this 
kind  of  influence  as  a solemn  trust,  reposed  in  them 
by  their  Heavenly  Father,  for  the  good  of  their  off- 
spring and  for  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  religion. 

3.  Missionary  piety  is  conservative.  The  mission- 
ary spirit  of  young  Jacobi  probably  saved  him  from 
becoming  a Neologian.  It  certainly  saved  him  from 
the  too  common  evil  in  Europe,  of  settling  in  the  pas- 
toral office  under  the  influence  of  worldly  motives. 

4.  The  dispensations  of  Providence  are  often  ex- 
ceedingly mysterious.  This  excellent  young  minister, 
after  having  been  led  by  his  own  father  to  look  with 
desire  on  the  missionary  work ; after  having  been 
endued  with  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  escape 
the  power  of  soul-destroying  error,  and  to  look  with 
indifference  on  flattering  worldly  prospects ; after 
having  acquired  unusual  furniture  of  mind  for  the 
duties  of  his  prospective  calling ; after  the  outward 
door  of  Providence  had  been  set  open  before  him, 
and  even  the  particular  post  of  duty  designated  by 
the  unanimous  opinion  of  his  more  experienced  mis- 
sionary brethren — after  all  these  things,  this  promising 
young  missionary  is  cut  down  on  the  very  threshold 
of  his  active  labors  ! Truly,  the  Lord’s  thoughts  are 
not  as  our  thoughts  ! 


REV.  C.  A.  JACOBI. 


407 


We  must  not,  however,  interpret  such  trying  dis- 
pensations as  contradicting  what  God  has  revealed  as 
duty.  The  voice  of  Providence  and  of  revelation  are 
always  accordant,  though  we  may  not  comprehend 
their  meaning.  By  such  events  the  Church  is  taught 
her  dependence  on  God ; it  is  her  sin  as  well  as  her 
folly,  that  she  is  prone  to  make  far  too  much  of  man, 
and  of  human  attainments.  Christians  should  learn, 
also,  the  necessity  of  being  in  earnest  in  their  Lord’s 
cause ; they  know  not  how  short  may  be  their  time  of 
endeavoring  to  promote  it.  The  work  of  missions, 
moreover,  is  a work  to  live  for  and  to  die  in  ; it  can 
not  be  too  zealously  supported ; doubtless  every 
faithful  missionary  has  been  comforted  by  this  con- 
viction in  his  last  hours ; and  all  Christians  would 
have  the  same  impressions  of  its  deep  importance,  if 
they  would  but  duly  consider  its  aim  and  object,  and 
the  solemn  obligations  and  motives  by  which  it  is 
made  their  duty.  Without  going,  however,  into  a 
particular  consideration  and  improvement  of  such 
providences,  we  shall  conclude  this  paper  with  an  ex- 
tract from  the  pious  reflections  of  another  German 
missionary,  after  giving  an  account  of  the  early  death 
of  a missionary  in  Africa  in  the  year  previous  to  Mr. 
Jacobi’s  death  : 

“ We  are  not  the  councillors  of  our  Heavenly 
Father,  but  only  his  adopted  children,  and  that  merely 
out  of  pure  mercy,  through  the  redemption  of  Christ  ; 
and  if  we  attain  that  state  of  perfect  felicity  in  Christ, 
in  which  I trust  our  deceased  companion  is  now,  we 
shall  then  know  and  understand  why  God  has  acted 


408 


M I SSI  ON  A R V PAPERS. 


so  contrary  to  our  intentionally  good  designs,  and 
shall  surely  find  cause  to  praise  him  for  those  very 
dispensations  which  now  thwart  our  desires  and 
hopes.  Let  not,  therefore,  his  mysterious  ways  dis- 
courage us  ; but,  faithfully  persevering  in  doing  good 
to  all  men,  with  simplicity  and  singleness  of  heart, 
fearing  and  loving  the  Lord,  let  us  work  while  it  is 
day,  for  the  night  cometh  when  no  man  can  work.” 


LXXXI. 

DEATH  OF  DR.  REVEL. 

The  Rev.  J.  P.  Revel,  D.D.,  departed  this  life  at  his 
home  in  Florence,  Italy,  on  the  nth  of  June,  1877,  in 
the  sixty-first  year  of  his  age.  He  was  known  to  many 
of  our  readers  as  the  representative  in  this  country  on 
two  visits,  in  1853  ar*d  1870,  of  the  venerable  Vaudois 
or  Waldensian  Synod.  He  was  long  a pastor  in  the 
Vaudois  valleys,  and  he  was  an  active  member — for 
several  years  the  president  of  the  Table,  or  Vaudois 
Administrative  and  Missionary  Commission,  through 
whose  agency  the  evangelizing  work  of  the  Synod  was 
extended  into  many  parts  of  Italy.  For  a number  of 
years  he  was  a professor  in  the  School  of  Theology  at 
Florence.  He  was  a man  of  rare  good  sense,  indefati- 
gable zeal,  beautiful  simplicity,  and  of  piety  full  of 
gentleness  and  all  good  fruits.  The  correspondence  of 
our  Board,  in  regard  to  its  taking  some  part  in  the  good 


SER  VICE  FOR  LIFER 


409 


work  of  the  Synod,  was  conducted  mainly  with  Dr. 
Revel,  and  all  his  letters  breathed  the  same  excellent 
spirit  which  gave  so  much  interest  to  his  addresses 
before  the  General  Assembly  in  Philadelphia  and  Al- 
bany, and  in  many  churches  of  our  own  and  other  de- 
nominations. Few  that  heard  him,  shortly  before  he 
left  this  country  last  year,  will  forget  the  animation 
with  which  he  spoke  of  his  Church,  as  waiting  to  send 
a missionary  to  Rome,  and  this  he  was  permitted  to 
see  before  he  finished  his  course.  But  we  must  not 
extend  this  notice  of  our  departed  friend.  To  hu- 
man view,  his  loss  to  the  Waldensian  Church,  and  to 
the  cause  of  Christ  in  Italy,  seems  to  be  almost  irrep- 
arable ; but  the  Lord  will  raise  up  others  to  carry  on 
his  work.  The  last  days  of  Dr.  Revel  were  full  of 
peace.  For  him  to  live  was  Christ,  and  to  die  was 
gain. 


LXXXII. 

“SERVICE  FOR  LIFE.” 

“The  appointment  of  missionaries  contemplates  a 
service  for  life,  if  the  Lord  will ; except  in  cases  speci- 
fied by  the  applicants,  and  agreed  to  by  the  Board, 
and  also  excepting  the  cases  of  teachers  among  the 
Indian  tribes,  whose  term  of  service  ought  not  to  be 
less  than  three  years.”  Many  good  reasons  may  be 
assigned  for  this  rule  of  the  Board. 

It  is  applicable,  in  its  principle,  to  the  supporters  of 
18 


4io 


M I S SION  A R V PAPERS. 


missions  by  prayers  and  gifts,  not  less  than  to  the  mis- 
sionaries. It  is  a service  for  life  to  us  all — a service 
resulting  from  grace  received,  inspired  by  love  and 
gratitude,  directed  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  sal- 
vation of  souls,  not  to  be  fulfilled  by  fitful  or  transient 
impulses,  but  to  be  habitual,  steadily  onward,  never- 
ceasing.  We  connect  this  service  with  the  Church,  as 
the  divinely  appointed  organization,  at  once  perma- 
nent, stable,  including  all  the  elements  of  success. 

Our  prayers  therefore  will  be  continued  so  long  as 
life  lasts  for  the  coming  of  Christ’s  kingdom.  Our 
church  collections,  and  our  personal  offerings  of  con- 
secrated money,  may  indeed  vary  in  amount,  and  in 
other  circumstances,  but  they  will  be  also  a life-ser- 
vice; other  things  being  equal,  we  shall  prefer  to 
make  our  gifts  regularly  to  the  great  cause  itself  as 
of  constant  interest,  rather  than  to  its  special  objects, 
which  are  often  changing;  and  we  shall  refuse  to  ad- 
mit the  idea  that  the  work  of  spreading  the  Gospel  is 
to  be  well  promoted  by  temporary  expedients.  There 
is  a far-reaching  principle  here,  one  that  has  many  ap- 
plications,—but  we  only  add,  that  if  our  missionary 
service  is  for  life,  its  results  for  ourselves  and  for  others 
reach  into  eternity ; its  highest  reward  is  the  Saviour’s 
approval,  “Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant.” 


GIFTS  AND  DEPARTURE  OF  FRIENDS.  41 1 


LXXXIII. 

THE  GIFTS  AND  THE  DEPARTURE  OF  FRIENDS. 

The  death  recently  of  two  of  the  largest  donors  to 
our  cause  will  call  forth  great  regret,  and  arrest  wide 
attention,  as  we  hope.  One  of  these  gentlemen  was 
Mr.  James  Lenox  ; the  other,  a few  weeks  before,  was 
Mr.  Alexander  Stuart.  They  and  Mr.  Robert  L. 
Stuart,  still  living,  have  for  many  years  been  the  three 
largest  donors  to  the  cause  of  missions  in  our  Church. 
Their  gifts  have  amounted  to  thousands  of  dollars 
each  for  many  years.  We  have  often  thought  they 
were  called  and  permitted  to  do  a special  and  greatly 
needed  work  in  the  support  of  this  cause,  especially  in 
its  earlier  years.  We  bless  God  for  the  grace  of  liberal 
giving  vouchsafed  unto  them.  It  was  their  privilege 
as  well  as  their  duty  to  offer  liberal  gifts  to  their  Lord’s 
treasury,  and  so  they  esteemed  it.  It  was  to  Christ 
they  give  their  treasures.  They  do  not  lose  his  re- 
ward. 

It  is  right  to  pray  that  others  may  be  raised  up  to 
carry  forward,  by  like  giving,  their  noble  work.  And 
it  is  right  also  that  each  and  all  of  the  disciples  of 
Christ  should  give  according  to  their  several  ability. 
The  lesser  gifts  of  the  whole  number  would  far  ex- 
ceed the  princely  gifts  of  the  few.  How  many  liberal 
givers  have  we  known  whose  offerings  could  be  only 
a few  dollars  each  ! And  how  many  more  might  do 
likewise ! 


412 


MISSIONARY  PAPERS. 


LXXXIV. 

WILLIAM  W.  PHILLIPS,  JAMES  LENOX,  AND 
WALTER  LOWRIE. 

The  names  of  these  three  men  were  long  connected 
with  the  executive  work  of  foreign  missions  in  New 
York.  They  had  previously  been  directors  of  the 
Western  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  which  was  or- 
ganized by  the  Synod  of  Pittsburg,  and  transferred 
to  the  Board  of  the  General  Assembly,  when  it  was 
formed.  The  first  was  chairman  of  the  Executive 
Committee  from  the  beginning  in  1837,  and  after  the 
death  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Miller,  D.D.,  he  was  also 
President  of  the  Board,  until  his  death  in  1865.  The 
second  was  a member  of  the  same  Committee  from 
the  beginning  until  1873,  and  also  President  from 
1870  to  1873,  succeeding  the  Rev.  Charles  Hodge, 
D.D.  Though  resigning  his  place  in  the  Board,  he 
continued  to  be  the  same  faithful  and  liberal  friend  of 
the  cause  during  the  remaining  years  of  his  life.  The 
third  was  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Board, 
from  the  beginning  until  near  the  end  of  his  life  in  1868. 
There  were  other  men  of  the  highest  standing  who 
were  also  in  the  executive  counsels  of  the  Board — 
among  them,  enumerating  only  those  who  have  de- 
parted this  life,  the  Rev.  Drs.  Janeway,  McElroy, 
Potts,  J.  W.  Alexander,  Spring,  and  Krebs,  and 
Messrs.  Olyphant,  Donaldson,  and  others ; but  they 
would  all  have  mentioned  the  names  of  these  three 


PHILLIPS,  LENOX,  LOWRIE. 


413 


men  as  the  pillars  in  this  temple  of  work  and  worship 
in  the  service  of  God. 

Dr.  Phillips  was  a man  of  noble  personal  presence, 
to-which  was  added  a dignified  manner,  coupled  with 
the  sincerest  warmth  of  heart.  His  intellect  was  of  a 
high  order,  broad  and  clear  in  all  its  action,  and  his 
religious  views  showed  the  thoroughness  of  his  theo- 
logical training,  for  some  time  under  the  celebrated 
Dr.  John  M.  Mason.  In  prayer,  both  in  public  ser- 
vices and  in  his  family,  he  was  rarely  equalled.  For 
a long  period  he  was  the  honored  minister  of  the 
First  church  of  our  order  in  New  York,  a church  of 
remarkable  and  noble  record.  He  was  a leading 
member  of  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  and  often 
represented  it  as  a Commissioner  to  the  General  As- 
sembly, of  which  he  was  elected  as  Moderator  in  1835. 
He  held  stations  of  high  trust  both  in  the  Church  and 
in  the  institutions  of  the  city,  and  in  all  he  was  a 
leader  of  public  councils.  As  a friend  and  supporter 
of  the  cause  of  missions  he  was  devoted  to  its  service, 
and  exerted  no  ordinary  influence  in  its  behalf.  In  all 
his  great  work,  he  was  ever  marked  by  consideration 
for  the  views  of  his  brethren,  and  he  was  a model  to 
them  of  all  Christian  courtesy.  He  departed  this  life, 
March  20,  1865,  in  the  sixty-ninth  year  of  his  age.  The 
writer  of  these  papers  esteems  it  as  a real  favor  to  have 
known  this  eminent  and  admirable  man.  It  was  his 
privilege  to  draft  the  Minute  of  the  Board,  brief  ac- 
cording to  its  usage,  which  was  adopted  April  3,  1865. 

“ The  late  Rev.  William  W.  Phillips,  D.D.,  chairman 
of  the  Committee,  and  President  of  the  Board  of 


414 


MISSIONARY  PARERS. 


Foreign  Missions,  having  been  called  from  this  life 
since  their  last  meeting,  the  members  of  the  Commit- 
tee agreed  to  place  on  record  the  following  Minute : 

“ ‘ That  in  the  removal  by  death  of  this  eminent 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  they  bow  with  humble  sub- 
mission to  the  will  of  God,  while  they  deeply  feel  the 
heavy  loss  sustained  by  the  Church,  particularly  in 
regard  to  the  work  of  Missions.  In  this  cause  their 
departed  friend  and  brother  ever  felt  the  deepest  in- 
terest ; and,  as  chairman  of  this  Committee  for 
twenty-eight  years,  by  his  constant  presence  at  its 
meetings,  his  unvarying  courtesy,  his  excellent  judg- 
ment, and  his  earnest  and  prayerful  consideration  of 
all  matters  requiring  attention,  he  was  permitted  to 
render  invaluable  service  in  promoting  the  success  of 
this  Christian  work ; as  also,  by  his  great  influence  in 
the  congregation  of  which  he  was  pastor,  and  in  the 
Church  at  large,  of  which  he  was  a noble  pillar. 

“ ‘ The  Committee  therefore  deplore  his  removal 
from  their  councils,  but  they  bless  God  for  his  good 
example,  and  they  would  endeavor  to  follow  him, 
even  as  he  followed  Christ.’  ” 

Mr.  Lenox  was  one  of  the  remarkable  men  of 
his  day.  Gifted  with  mental  powers  of  a high  order 
and  admirably  balanced,  carefully  educated  and 
marked  by  breadth  of  culture,  sincere  and  exemplary 
in  his  religious  life,  thorough  in  his  understanding 
and  belief  of  the  doctrines  and  order  of  his  Church, 
yet  catholic  in  his  spirit ; for  many  years  an  elder 
of  the  First  church  of  New  York,  and  often  represent- 
ing the  Presbytery  of  New  York  in  the  General  As- 


PHILLIPS , LENOX,  LOIVRIE. 


4i5 


sembly ; the  heir  and  possessor  of  large  wealth,  which 
he  used  as  a Christian  steward  with  a liberality  seldom 
equalled,  he  was  ever  a considerate,  courteous,  modest, 
rare  gentleman — one  held  in  the  highest  respect  and 
esteem  by  all  who  knew  him.  It  was  the  privilege 
of  the  cause  of  missions  that  it  had  among  its  friends 
and  counsellors  one  so  well  qualified  by  enlightened 
views,  admirable  judgment,  and  almost  unexampled 
liberality,  to  extend  its  influence  and  usefulness 
amongst  men.  He  died  February  17,  1880,  in  the 
eightieth  year  of  his  age.  The  Minute  of  the  Board, 
toned  in  its  terms  to  accord  with  his  well-known 
aversion  to  public  notice,  may  properly  find  a place 
in  this  paper : 

“ From  1834  to  1873  Mr.  Lenox  was  officially  con- 
nected with  the  Board  as  one  of  its  members  ; dur- 
ing most  of  its  time  as  a member  also  of  its  Execu- 
tive Committee  ; and  for  the  last  three  years  of  this 
period,  as  its  President,  succeeding  the  late  Dr.  Charles 
Hodge.  During  all  these  years,  when  he  was  in  the 
city,  he  was  seldom  absent  from  its  meetings,  and 
he  shared  its  counsels  with  deep  interest.  His 
opinions  were  wisely  formed,  clearly  expressed,  and 
with  deference  to  the  views  of  the  other  members. 
As  President,  he  was  judicious  and  courteous  in  admin- 
istration. His  gifts  to  this  cause  were  of  great  liber- 
ality, and  were  made  without  ostentation,  their  source 
often  being  known  amongst  men  only  to  the  secre- 
tary or  treasurer  to  whom  they  were  sent. 

“ The  members  of  the  Board  take  sincere  pleasure 
in  paying  this  tribute  to  the  memory  of  their  departed 


416 


MISSION AR  Y PAPERS. 


Christian  friend  and  fellow-laborer.  And  they  express 
their  gratitude  to  God  for  the  grace  given  to  his  ser- 
vant, enabling  Jfiim  to  adorn  the  doctrines  of  his  pro- 
fession as  an  humble  follower  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  to  use  his  ample  means  for  great  service 
to  the  Church  and  its  interests,  and  at  length  in  a 
good  old  age  to  enter  into  the  rest  that  remaineth  to 
the  people  of  God.” 

Mr.  Lowrie  was  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  from 
1836  until  near  his  death,  December  14,  1868,  in  the 
eighty-fifth  year  of  his  age.  His  previous  service 
in  public  life — in  the  Senate  of  Pennsylvania,  in  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States,  and  as  Secretary  of  the 
United  States  Senate,  the  latter  of  which  he  resigned 
in  order  to  accept  the  appointment  of  Secretary  of 
the  Board  of  Missions — he  himself  regarded  as  a valu- 
able preparation  for  his  work  in  the  Board  and  its 
duties  among  the  churches.  His  influence  and  use- 
fulness in  this  work  were,  it  is  believed,  generally 
recognized  in  the  Church,  and  were  attested  with  re- 
markable emphasis  in  the  tribute  to  his  memory 
adopted  by  the  Board.  No  account  of  his  life  and 
labors  can  here  be  given,  nor  any  traits  of  his  char- 
acter— unless  in  a single  instance.  As  a father,  no 
one  could  be  more  affectionate  in  his  attachment  to 
all  his  children,  and  yet  his  consent  was  freely  given, 
at  an  inexpressible  sacrifice,  to  three  of  his  sons  go- 
ing as  missionaries.  When  he  was  first  consulted, 
indeed,  as  to  the  question  of  personal  duty  by  one  of 
them,  he  was  not  clear  as  to  encouraging  the  forming 
purpose ; but,  after  careful  reflection,  he  not  only 


REV.  WILLIAM  ADAMS,  D.D. 


4i7 


gave  his  consent,  but  also  gave  his  full  sympathy 
and  warm  benediction  to  his  son’s  going  to  India. 

It  was  in  the  days  when  missionaries  seldom  re- 
turned to  their  native  country,  and  he  and  his  son 
parted  on  the  deck  of  the  ship,  it  was  supposed,  not 
likely  to  meet  again  in  this  world.  How  strange  the 
ordering  of  Providence  which  a few  years  later  placed 
them  both,  of  course  unsought  by  either,  in  ad- 
joining offices  in  the  Mission  House,  where  for  thirty 
years  they  were  engaged  in  the  same  work ! 

Refraining  from  further  personal  remarks  concern- 
ing these  three  men,  one  thing  of  general  and  prac- 
tical interest  may  be  stated  — that  their  own  deep 
interest  in  the  missionary  cause  was  in  a large  degree 
sustained,  and  their  usefulness  as  executive  counsellors 
was  greatly  promoted,  by  their  regular,  punctual  at- 
tendance at  the  meetings  of  the  Board,  and  by  their 
keeping  in  mind  the  run  of  its  affairs. 


LXXXV. 

REV.  WILLIAM  ADAMS,  D.D. 

A GOOD  and  great  man  was  called  to  the  heavenly 
rest  when  the  Rev.  William  Adams,  D.D.,  departed 
this  life,  August  31,  1880,  in  the  seventy-fourth  year 
of  his  age.  The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  of  whom 
he  was  President,  adopted  a Minute,  referring  to  his 
eminent  worth  and  the  great  loss  which  the  Church 
18* 


418 


MISSIONAR  Y PAPERS. 


has  sustained  in  his  death.  We  add  here  a little 
tribute  to  his  memory  from  another  pen. 

Dr.  Adams  had  long  occupied  a distinguished  place 
as  the  minister  of  the  Madison  Square  church  of  New 
York,  as  a director  of  some  of  our  religious  and  be- 
nevolent institutions,  and  of  late  years  as  president 
of  the  Union  Theological  Seminary.  He  was  always 
a warm  friend  and  supporter  of  the  cause  of  Foreign 
Missions,  a member  of  the  Board  since  the  time  of 
Reunion,  and  for  several  years  its  president,  succeed- 
ing the  late  Mr.  James  Lenox.  In  these  varied  rela- 
tions to  the  Church,  he  was  honored  and  loved  by  all 
who  knew  him  for  the  gifts  and  grace  of  his  personal 
character,  and  for  the  services  he  was  enabled  to  render 
to  the  cause  of  Christ.  He  was  held  in  great  regard 
by  the  other  members  of  the  Board  for  his  uniform 
courtesy  and  consideration,  his  prompt  attention  to 
every  duty  as  presiding  officer,  often  at  no  little  in- 
convenience, above  all,  his  deep  concern  for  the  cause 
entrusted  to  the  Board  by  the  Church.  The  sacred 
interests  of  this  cause  always  lay  near  his  heart.  We 
do  not  wonder  that  the  members  of  the  Board  deeply 
mourn  over  his  departure,  each  orfe  feeling  his  re- 
moval to  be  a personal  loss,  but  grieving  most  for  his 
no  longer  taking  part  with  them  in  the  counsels  and 
action  required  by  their  charge.  But  they  can  rejoice 
for  the  grace  from  on  high  so  evidently  vouchsafed  to 
their  lamented  friend. 

The  writer  of  these  lines  may  refer  to  an  interview 
with  Dr.  Adams,  at  his  instance,  a few  weeks  before 
his  death.  He  was  then  aware  of  the  serious  nature 


REV.  WILLIAM  ADAMS , D.D.  ' 419 

of  his  illness  ; but  his  conversation  was  so  much  in 
his  usual  manner,  and  touched  in  his  pleasant  way  so 
many  topics,  that  his  friend  could  not  but  express  the 
hope  of  his  recovery.  Not  refusing  assent,  he  yet 
said  that  he  was  freeing  himself  from  engagements, 
and  referred  particularly  to  his  having  resigned  the 
appointment  to  preach  the  sermon  at  the  General 
Council  in  Philadelphia.  He  spoke  of  the  verses  in 
2 Peter  i.  16-19,  the  passage  beginning,  “ For  we 
have  not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables,”  with 
such  clearness  and  feeling  as  showed  how  much  they 
were  in  his  thoughts  ; and  indeed  suggested  the  im- 
pression [since  verified]  that  these  verses  may  have 
been  the  theme  of  the  sermon  which  so  many  thou- 
sands were  hoping  to  hear  or  to  read.  Yet  all  was  said 
as  part  of  the  conversation,  which  had  turned  for  a 
few  moments  on  skeptical  tendencies  ; and  when  it  was 
suggested  that  the  apostle  evidently  wrote  from  per- 
sonal experience,  “Yes,”  said  he,  in  reply,  “but  his 
experience  was  founded  on  the  doctrines.  The  truth 
as  revealed  must  precede  the  experience,  or  else  we 
are  all  at  sea.”  And  then  he  cited  the  apostle’s 
words  concerning  our  Lord  in  these  verses,  and  dwelt 
with  emphasis  on  “ the  more  sure  word  of  proph- 
ecy.” It  was  an  interview  not  soon  to  be  for- 
gotten. His  views  of  our  Saviour’s  grace  and  glory 
were  admirably  and  touchingly  expressed.  How  per- 
fect and  blessed  have  they  since  become  ! “ Blessed 

are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth  : 
Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labors ; and  their  works  do  follow  them.” 


I 


INDEX 


Acts  i.  8.... 55 

Adams,  William,  D.D 417 

Africa — inland 173 

A.  D.  1832-1872 141 

Anglo-Saxon  Race,  unduly  lauded..  102 
Administrative  work  of  missions.  ...  213 
Alleghany  Theological  Seminary 

and  Foreign  Missions 328 

“ Baptizo,”  transferring 139 

Boarding  Schools  . 198,203 

British  Rule  in  India  preferred 166 

Call  of  a missionary 25 

China,  a Heathen  Temple  in 35 

Chinese  in  United  States 176 

Schools  for  182 

“Church”  work  in  missions  95 

Congo,  Protectorate  of 175 

Creeds  of  mission  churches.  ...355,  356 
Conversion  of  the  World,  time  re- 
quired   380 

Common  school  education  of  the 

Indians 189 

Commandments,' the  last  two n 

Children  of  missionaries 280 


Gifts,  large 49 

Of  the  poor 50 

Of  the  rich 46 

Gifts  and  departure  of  friends 411 

Grace,  not  race 102 

Holy  Ghost,  the  power  of  Christian 

witnesses 55 

Power  of  miracles  and  tongues....  57 

Power  of  inward  grace 58 

Power  of  grace  in  preaching  the 

gospel 59 

Witnessing  to  Christ 61 

Witnessing  to  His  truth.  . 63 

Missionary  witnessing,  joyful,  not 

narrow 70 

Witnessing  at  home  and  to  all 

abroad 76 

The  duty 79 

Elements  of  success 79 

What  we  most  need 81 

Heathenism,  impress  of 28 

Heathen  religion 149 

Heathen,  not  hopeless 30 

Heathen  temple  in  China 35 

Hindus  and  British 162 


Denominational  missions 89 

Disinterestedness 51 

Distribution  oTmissionaries 270 

Debt,  can  a missionary  board  keep 

out  of?  376 

Deputations,  missionary 389 

Discipline  of  a small  income  378 


Endorsement  of  objects 373 

Education  of  missionaries  at  Rome.  259 

At  Basle  260 

In  our  Seminaries 261 

Education  of  native  missionaries... 

206,  209,  265 

Not  in  this  country 209 

Not  in  Seminaries 269 

Personal  ...  207 

Estimates,  local  funds 231 

Evangelists 361 


It  is  for  Thee,  my  Saviour 10 

Indian  affairs 182 

Peace  policy  of  Washington  and 

Jefferson • 183 

Causes  of  trouble 184 

Guardian  and  Wards 186 

The  question  of  land 189 

Reservations 188 

Indian  soldiers  191 

Tribal  disbanding 192 

Indians  must  be  governed 193 

The  Church’s  work  for  the  In- 
dians, the  main  civilizing 

power . ...  197 

Indian  territory 195 

Boarding  schools 198 

Teacher 201 

Jacobi,  C.  A 402 


Family  homes  for  children  of  mis- 
sionaries  308 

“Foreign  Missions,  their  claims ”. . 366 


Large  and  varied  work 
Land  for  the  Indians. . . 
Law  for  the  Indians.. . . 


(421) 


53 


187 

190 


422 


INDEX . 


Length  of  missionary  life. 


Lenox,  James  412, 

Lowrie,  Walter 412, 


Martyn,  Henry 

Matthew  xiii.  31-33 

Millennarian  views  not  accepted.  . . 

Mission,”  or  Presbytery 

Missions— the  beginning  to  the  end. 

Administration  of 

Board,  its  province 

Pecuniary  support  of 

Supervision  of 

Missionary — life  and  piety 

Policy  and  zeal 

Call  of  a 

Great  want  of  a 

Professorships 262,  278, 

Superintendents 

Presbyteries  and  the  Home  Church 

Presbyteries 

Recall  of  a. 

Missionaries,  training  and  distribu- 


tion of . . 

Children  of 

Who  have  died 320, 

Wives  of 

Mohammedans 146, 

Monthly  concert ....  


Mustard  seed  and  leaven 

Native  language  indispensable.. . . 

Where  to  learn  it 

Learning  it  unmarried 

Native  ministers — Personal  training 
Educated  in  their  own  country. . . 
In  what  schools 

Opium  question  in  India 

Organized  opposing  forces 

Orphanages 

“ Our  country  for  the  world” 

Offices  of  the  Board 

Parsee  Cemetery 

Presbyteries— Missionary 

Diverse  opinions  of 

And  the  Home  Church 

Not  independent  at  first 


Presbyteries — Of  foreign  and  native 

members  350 

A Minute  proposed  to  regulate 
their  relations  to  the  Home 

Church 352 

Presbyteries,  what  they  can  do 371 

Preachers  and  teachers,  mere  . . . 114 

Presbytery,  its  place  in  missionary 

supervision 237 

Protectorate  of  the  Congo 175 

Phillips,  William  W.,  D.D 412 

Prayer  and  corresponding  means.  . 33 

Principles,  fundamental ..  82 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary 

and  Foreign  Missions 310 

Proverbs  xi.  24 87 

Races,  less  favored 104 

Review  of  forty  years 141 

Romans  xv.  20. 84 

Roman  Catholics 148,  150,  153,  157 

Church  work  for 150 

Romanist  Missionary  Society 153 

Romish  missions  to  the  heathen,  a 

failure  157 

Remittances  in  gross 227 

How  the  plan  worked 229 

Revel,  J.  P.,  D.D 408 

Scriptures,  translating  the 134 

Missionaries  in  the  work  of  trans- 
lating.  137 

Service  for  life  409 

“ Slowing  ” the  work  of  missions.  . . 118 

Small  beginnings,  large  growth 18 

Soul,  worth  of,  in  China  and  Amer- 
ica   31 

Superintendents,  missionary 252 

Supervision  of  missions 233 

Training  of  missionaries 256 

Thirty  meeting-houses.  116 

The  world  for  our  country hi 

Thoughts  on  missions 7 

Translating  the  Scriptures 134,  137 

Witnesses  unto  Christ 55 

Xavier,  Francis 157 


382 

414 

416 

397 

18 

72 

392 

7 

213 

244 

106 

233 

39 

13 

25 

44 

324 

252 

1 359 

345 

389 

256 

280 

339 

34° 

149 

99 

18 

127 

130 

132 

206 

209 

269 

166 

148 

203 

109 

380 

171 

345 

346 

359 

361 


'4  r 


